Major Indonesian media company MNC Group has launched a YouTube clone. It’s called MeTube. No joke.
The site itself looks a lot like its American role model. Many elements are similar, like the logo, video layout, positioning of the comments section, and color scheme. Content-wise, MeTube is a mix of MNC’s own shows and videos uploaded by partner sites or individual users. The site lets you search for keywords or browse clips in standard categories like comedy, news, fashion, sports, or travel. Some MNC-owned talk shows and comedy series are highlighted on the landing page.
Bumpy launch
Indonesian content creators were not impressed. Film director Joko Anwar and Christian Sugiono, founder of the popular comedy website Malesbanget, both took to Twitter with complaints about the site.
Sugiono said he was disappointed that a MeTube user had uploaded a number of Malesbanget clips without permission.
“Sadly I see a lot of content from @malesbange which was uploaded without malesbanget’s approval by another user” Christian Sugionor tweeted.
Anwar pointed out that a simple search on MeTube revealed a number of “sexy” videos. Showing nudity in images and video is considered pornographic, and thus illegal, in Indonesia.
“Well and if [MeTube], which was created locally, contains content like this will you also block it, @rudiantara_id?” Joko Anwar tweeted to Indonesia’s tech minister.
It’s for this reason that video portal Vimeo is blocked in the archipelago. In the eyes of the authorities, it didn’t do enough to remove videos with nude scenes. Anwar raised the question whether the same strict rule would apply to MeTube.
MeTube meanwhile swiftly removed the videos pointed out by Anwar and Sugiono, which indicates the team is monitoring reactions to the launch closely and wants to avoid more public criticism.
Business interests
MeTube’s launch comes at a time when MNC should be worried about its future. MNC’s share price has been tumbling ever since on-demand-video site Netflix launched in Indonesia early this year.
MNC’s share price has been in steady decline this year. This coincides with the launch of Netflix in the region.
It’s possible that investors think MNC became less attractive since Netflix’ launch. The company from California offers access to a wider selection of films and TV series for a lower price than the company’s pay-TV service.
It’s a lucky turn of events for MNC that Telkom, Indonesia’s state-owned telco and internet service provider (ISP), decided to block Netflix recently. It did so on its own initiative, without a mandate from the tech ministry.
It’s Not You, it’s Me
In the traditional procedure, it’s up to the tech minister and an independent committee to recommend blocking certain sites. The request is then passed down to all ISPs.
Telkom argued that it decided to block Netflix to keep viewers safe from “inappropriate content”.
Some observers believe Telkom’s concern over “negative content” is just a front. “This is purely business,” said Damar Juniarto of the local NGO Forum Demokrasi Digital (Digital Democracy Forum) about Telkom’s move. Like MNC, Telkom has a pay-TV channel which might be in jeopardy if viewers flock to Netflix instead.
Lame copycat
Telkom’s and MNC’s business concerns are reasonable, but their strategies to cope with global competition seem out of touch with reality.
Given MNC’s resources and access to content, it could have done more to craft a unique video portal that wins over local content creators and consumers.
Instead, it created a copycat whose name and slogan are hopelessly unoriginal.