YOUTUBE AS A PLATFORM FOR COLLECTIVE MEMORY

Abstract

This research analyzes the relationship between a public university television station and a private platform—YouTube—regarding the dissemination and archiving of its audiovisual productions. This channel has become the primary means for the public to access the broadcaster's archive. To understand the implications of the relationship between this TV station and the platform, drawing on Agamben’s concept of the "apparatus" (dispositivo). This is a qualitative, bibliographic study that employs a case study approach to frame the discussion. The research identified a relationship in which the university TV station is present on the private platform—a scenario that, based on Agamben’s work, can be described as "capture" by an apparatus. The study presents possibilities for the "profanation" of this apparatus, thereby decoupling the institution from the logic of Big Tech. Public institutions utilize private platforms to engage with the public and reposition themselves as media agents. Nevertheless, it is essential to gain a deep understanding of the dynamics, limitations, and possibilities associated with operating in these spaces in order to minimize the risk of losing records and institutional memory.