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I've heard the argument that while there are arguably as many if not more content created online than through regular television programming that there hasn't been a real stand out show or breakthrough hit. Many people like to point to the success of "Lonelygirl15" as a compelling example of what happens when independent programming is successful. Yet one has to wonder if a breakthrough hit is what is really needed to legitimize Internet video programming, or is the fact of the democratization of video programming via Internet the real success here.

Online content takes many unusual forms; much of it is reedited content, taking the audio from one source and putting it with the video of another. Sites like YouTube have given us everything from people using the look and theme of two different copyrighted ideas in the amateur vein; such as having someone dress up like Dora and do the "Chicken Noodle Soup", or to see a group of high-school cheerleaders do the latest dance craze, "Crank Dat" from Soulja Boy. The fact that such content can earn up to 16 million hits shows that low budget material can still create a breakout hit.

The issue is that the content is too short; as disposable material that provides instant gratification most users will win the respect of their peers yet never monetize their content. The irony is that many video sharing sites do allow individuals to earn something through ads either placed alongside their content, or on the page itself, though YouTube is not one of those. The rub is where an amateur has used copyrighted material in a creative way; should they even receive compensation for such work at all, despite some of it being the most watched stuff on YouTube?

Should creators share any revenue with the copyright owners of the likeness and look and feel, which in the case of a lot of Dora the Explorer videos are a few different owners. If nothing else it tells us that much Internet video is inspired by, and developed through, adaptation of traditional media, as opposed to completely unique content. The future of Internet video isn't the next Mentos and Diet Coke video at all; then again both Mentos and Diet Coke are trademarked names.

Why did it take such adaptation and usage of brand names to popularize Internet television in the first place? Hulu, an experiment in broadcasting free television shows from a number of prominent television networks through quality that isn't necessarily high-definition, yet far better than anything we see

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