YouTube Hasn't "Really Accomplished Anything' -- Or Has It?

User-generated videos? They seem so... 2006. But based on the continued growth of YouTube, they're still very popular. The question is: What's next?

Active blogger, ESPN-highlight scene stealer, owner of the NBA champion Dallas Mavericks (and possible new owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers) Mark Cuban thinks nothing much has changed: that user-generated videos are about people putting up baby clips to show their grandmas. Worse still -- or better, depending on your point of view -- is that YouTube continues to be "subsidizing the bandwidth of every individual in the world," says Cuban. We have to agree with that one.

YouTube's primary reason for being continues to be video recreational activities for the everyman. It may want to challenge the likes of Hulu or maybe even Netflix one day, but still remains loyal to its original intent. Owner Google isn't worried; it has bigger fish to fry. YouTube might be profitable -- Google won't say officially. YouTube pulls in $1.3 billion in revenues, virtually all from advertising, according to one industry estimate. Next year that could reach $1.7 billion. But according to Cuban, YouTube effectively is still giving money away, in terms of a very discounted price for bandwidth -- actually no price at all. (And there are still some content issues for major media owners as well). The question is: Will YouTube be the same five years from now?