Swedish video site trounces YouTube

A Swedish web site where members of the public can upload their own video clips claims to be more popular than the much-hyped YouTube - at least in Scandinavia.

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Traffic figures released this week show that Bubblare.se has up to 30 times more viewers for Scandinavian film clips than the American market leader, YouTube.

"This shows what we've thought all along - that local beats global," said Bubblare's managing director Oskar Kalmaru in a press statement.

"What's funny in Shanghai isn't necessarily funny in Borås."

Bubblare was launched in July and operates along the same lines as YouTube. The only difference is the language.

"Because we only show Scandinavian clips, the recognition factor much higher," said Kalmaru, adding that it is easier to find Swedish clips on Bubblare than on YouTube.

According to Bubblare's own figures, the Moderate Party's internet campaign, Mahogany Mats, was watched 35,000 on the site, compared to just 400 times on YouTube.

One of the most popular clips is the Soviet national anthem - with Swedish text. That has been viewed 51,000 times on Bubblare and only 8,000 times on YouTube.

The goal for Bubblare, Oskar Kalmaru told business site N24, is to be one of Sweden's 30 most popular web sites within a year.

"It's a goal I'm convinced we can reach," he said.