Are people not fans of the Tim Tracker?

[Shsmith341]

I love their YouTube videos. I truly have learned a lot from them.

 

[Disney Von Drake]

They aren't journalists. They are not the Times or The Post or Fox News. They are an entertainment vlog on YOUTUBE.

Indeed, you speak the truth. However, some viewers consider them a credible and unbiased source.

 

[SantaDuffy]

I don't see the hate to which you refer. The fact that the Trackers accept gifts, gratuities, favors, free travel and special treatment automatically impinges upon their impartiality as well as compromising their integrity and damaging their credibility. As a direct result they can not be trusted for accuracy, fairness, objectivity public accountability and truthfulness. They are paid shills. These facts don't reflect hate.

It's just that shills are generally not highly regarded in polite society. They are considered stooges or potted plants. There is nothing wrong with selling your integrity. However, some of us put a high value on our integrity.

Great point about integrity.

Their “devoted fans” also take every criticism of them so personally. They need something to do. I can’t imagine having such little sense of self and being so out of touch with reality that I get upset when “famous” people I don’t know are criticized

 

[Squirlz]

Great point about integrity.

Their “devoted fans” also take every criticism of them so personally. They need something to do. I can’t imagine having such little sense of self and being so out of touch with reality that I get upset when “famous” people I don’t know are criticized

I still can't help but snicker when I hear Youtube "star".

 

[CrankyDad]

They aren't journalists. They are not the Times or The Post or Fox News. They are an entertainment vlog on YOUTUBE.

.

Who cares. Just keep his annoying wife out of them

 

[DisneyOma]

They put in the hours, weeks and months of building their brand and their influence as well as a market that companies like Dollywood, Universal and Disney value enough to provide them with free things.

This just makes me laugh - they've been promoting themselves. "Building their brand", LOL! "Influence" - the fluff the YouTube generation falls for in turns makes me laugh and makes me shake my head. Are we to become a world of 'influencers' and that's it? Who is going to do actual work in the future?

 

[niniri]

I sense a lot of resentment and anger in this thread about people who just happen to make a living with things they’re passionate about, like theme parks and Disney. Jealous much?

 

[Praying Colonel]

I sense a lot of resentment and anger in this thread about people who just happen to make a living with things they’re passionate about, like theme parks and Disney. Jealous much?

As I said earlier in this thread, I've never seen a second of their videos so I don't have any opinion on them one way or the other and am certainly not jealous of them. However, when I see people using their social media space to flog stuff they're getting for free or "sponsoring" (getting paid to flog), they lose credibility with me. Are they (generally, not these people) saying it because they like it, or are they saying it because they got it comped/getting paid to say they like it?

 

[ChrisFL]

As I said earlier in this thread, I've never seen a second of their videos so I don't have any opinion on them one way or the other and am certainly not jealous of them. However, when I see people using their social media space to flog stuff they're getting for free or "sponsoring" (getting paid to flog), they lose credibility with me. Are they (generally, not these people) saying it because they like it, or are they saying it because they got it comped/getting paid to say they like it?

That is up to you, and everyone who watches them, to determine for themselves. They always say when things are covered for them and they aren't a "review" channel, they just share their experiences.

 

[Searc]

That is up to you, and everyone who watches them, to determine for themselves. They always say when things are covered for them and they aren't a "review" channel, they just share their experiences.

They share their experiences that were paid for by the very place they are reviewing. If people can't recognize the conflict of interest, there is nothing else I can say.

 

[Angela Mclaughlin]

I enjoy their videos, and they seem like genuinely nice people who have made good. I don't see why anyone would hold any hard feeling towards them. Simply don't watch if they aren't to your taste. I don't understand the snobby attitude of some replies. To many, their positive attitude, happy family vibe is a great way to cheer up in this sometimes nasty world. Live, and let live.

 

[smiths02]

As I said earlier in this thread, I've never seen a second of their videos so I don't have any opinion on them one way or the other and am certainly not jealous of them. However, when I see people using their social media space to flog stuff they're getting for free or "sponsoring" (getting paid to flog), they lose credibility with me. Are they (generally, not these people) saying it because they like it, or are they saying it because they got it comped/getting paid to say they like it?

The same could be said about Samantha Brown (Travel Channel) or the Food Network specials about Disney food, etc. I don't always need their "review" to get information or be entertained.
I'm not huge Tim Tracker fan, but I watch the vlogs sometimes. One example would be that Universal really just started having dessert parties (Christmas 2018). I was going to Mardi Gras this year and wanted to see what it was like. While I didn't "trust" his recommendation of value or taste necessarily, I got to see the area for parade viewing, the types of food offered, the character meet and greet, the spot for viewing the nighttime show, etc.
(ETA: I should add, other than paying for it ourselves, when we went to the dessert party, our experience was the same as Tim's in terms of character interaction, food, viewing area)

 

[ChrisFL]

They share their experiences that were paid for by the very place they are reviewing. If people can't recognize the conflict of interest, there is nothing else I can say.

There's only a conflict of interest if they don't disclose it

 

[AllyReggie]

This just makes me laugh - they've been promoting themselves. "Building their brand", LOL! "Influence" - the fluff the YouTube generation falls for in turns makes me laugh and makes me shake my head. Are we to become a world of 'influencers' and that's it? Who is going to do actual work in the future?

I don't know what your beef is, but the evolution of the celebrity and the entertainer to someone who build themselves and their activities as a brand is not anything new. That started with the starlets of the stage and their scandals with specific politicians or leaders in the community as early as the 1700s. This is a slow moving train to affulence not being required to make a name for yourself and find adoring fans. Youtube may still infact be a gatekeeper in some aspects, as twitch and mixer are, but the community still gives you the thumbs up or down and the tides can change at the whim of the popular thought. Having years of staying power and a slow built community takes discipline, dedication and actual entrepreneurship.

Sure, anyone can be an "influencer" and post cute pictures and get freebies, but it takes actual planning to come up with a business model where your content is new, engaging and garners enough followers to offset the cost of the productions. That didn't happen overnight or even in the first five years for the Trackers, and Tim still works a regular job.

And honestly, whatever you think "actual work" is, is just another way society has taught you to devalue entrepreneurship and innovation. People are getting mad because they don't have the drive and dedication to do what people like the Trackers do, not that they want to be youtubers but they want to excel through the bonds of the 9-5 or the daily slog and be job creators, career builders and influencers in their own way, influencers of their subordinates. It is not a bad thing or a horrible goal, but showing distaste for someone who managed to create a niche that builds a community and fills a need and making the sacrifices that it takes to grow that into a stable business is difficult, regardless of if the business is pillows, protractors or popular content.

I am not particularly surprised by everyone who dislikes the Trackers take, people are more than welcome to hate what they want to hate, but the interesting people to me are the people who follow that historical pitfall of "This new thing, its bad and it doesn't fit with what I believe is the right way to earn a living! Boo!" You'd think we'd be past that by now, Radio stars dealt with that... Radio Stars.

 

[AllyReggie]

They share their experiences that were paid for by the very place they are reviewing. If people can't recognize the conflict of interest, there is nothing else I can say.

Conflict of interest implies they are presenting their channel as a unbiased and neutral review or critique of the experiences they share. They are life vloggers, meaning they show what they are doing in life and what interests them. They have an inherent bias of showing you things they are already interested in, already love and already want to do. Whether or not they enjoy them often has little to do with who pays for it, but has more to do with the fact that the curate their experiences to fit their specific tastes.

Trying to fit them into a narrative of the objective journalist doesn't work, that isn't what they are. They don't go out and "Report" on things like a journalist would, if that were the case they'd do a lot more on other parks, in a balanced way so as not to seem Disney-centric or Universal-favoring. But they only do other stuff when it is stuff they want to do. That is a bias, because they aren't doing things they aren't interested in (see Kevin's review of SWGE for more details on this) and instead are only subjecting themselves to things they find interesting. And after a few years, they have learned what to expect for events, shows, meals and so they typically select what will make them happiest, so its no wonder that most of their "reviews" are positive.

There is no expectation of objectivity with vloggers, youtubers or "influencers" and if there is, it is the fault of the viewer imposing expectations of the media they consume. Expect bias, do not expect objectivity.

 

[Jonfw2]

They provide tons of content about a variety of things and it's free to the viewer. You can watch it or not, but the idea that anyone would have deeply negative feelings about people like this is bizarre to me.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Tim does not hold back on his food reviews. I appreciate his honesty.

The DIS crew frequently go to hosted events and they disclose that always, just like Tim does. Are they any different???

 

[Searc]

The DIS crew frequently go to hosted events and they disclose that always, just like Tim does. Are they any different???

No.

 

[ChrisFL]

Tim does not hold back on his food reviews. I appreciate his honesty.

The DIS crew frequently go to hosted events and they disclose that always, just like Tim does. Are they any different???

Slightly different. I know Pete has a policy where they will not do an official food review unless he pays for it himself. The Trackers don't really do "official" reviews though, as much as they just make random (and I feel completely honest) thoughts about their experience.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Slightly different. I know Pete has a policy where they will not do an official food review unless he pays for it himself. The Trackers don't really do "official" reviews though, as much as they just make random (and I feel completely honest) thoughts about their experience.

I meant about disclosing whether they are hosted or not.