WebProNews

Everybody talks about YouTube monetizing itself, but what about users monetizing their own YouTube accounts? You know how we like those success stories. The guy who made millions using LinkedIn, the guy who made millions from financial blogging, etc. The New York Times is profiling a guy that went from a little public access show to making big bucks from YouTube clips.

This guy named Michael Buckley started a little entertainment news show called "What the Buck?" that ran three nights a week on public access, and his cousin started posting clips on YouTube, which started drawing some attention. Brian Stelter at the Times writes: 

All he needed was a $2,000 Canon camera, a $6 piece of fabric for a backdrop and a pair of work lights from Home Depot. Mr. Buckley is an example of the Internet’s democratizing effect on publishing. Sites like YouTube allow anyone with a high-speed connection to find a fan following, simply by posting material and promoting it online.

When you put it like that, it doesn't sound so hard does it? Unless your content is just so great that it spins virally out of control quickly, it's going to take some time and effort to succeed. "I was spending 40 hours a week on YouTube for over a year before I made a dime," the Times quotes Buckley as saying. Being one of the original members of the YouTube partner program surely helped too.

Watching the video, it's hard to believe Buckley could make so much doing that, but a quick flip through the channels on cable television makes it seem all the more realistic. With some hard work and a camera, this could be you.