YouTube vs. Spotify vs. Netflix: The Creator Arms Race Gets Spicy
I have new details inside the war over video podcasts, and Netflix's creator push accelerates (hi, Ms. Rachel!)
I write about content creators, digital platforms and the big moves in the $250B global industry they power. I’ve covered the intersection of entertainment and tech for more than a decade at Vanity Fair, The Hollywood Reporter and Business Insider. Email me tips, story ideas and memes you can’t keep to yourself at natalie@theankler.com
Tomorrow I’ll be touching down in New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX, and it’s fortuitous that I picked this year to attend the Big Game (a perk of being married to someone who works for NFL Media), because it’s shaping up to be a big weekend for creators. YouTube — which in 2022 forged tight ties with the NFL after the league shelled out millions to make YouTube TV the exclusive home of Sunday Ticket — has taken over for TikTok as the official partner for the pre-game Tailgate Concert, and its CEO, Neal Mohan, is set to be in town. Post Malone’s headlining performance on Sunday at 3 p.m. CT will stream on the NFL’s YouTube channel, along with content throughout the day from creators. I’ll check it out along with other creator events in the Big Easy, including a flag-football showdown on Saturday between teams led by top streamers iShowSpeed and Kai Cenat.
On the ad side, Alix Earle and Jake Shane are set to appear in a Poppi commercial, and you can already check out Matthew McConaughey’s Uber Eats spot, which features a cameo from Hot Ones host Sean Evans.
I’ll have a full report from the goings on at the Super Bowl in next week’s newsletter, but today I’m coming to you (on a Thursday, but typically I’ll still be posting on Wednesdays) with two separate stories that showcase just how powerful YouTube has become. Up first, an exclusive look at how YouTube envy is leading Netflix to pursue deals with top video creators. And then, a dive into the battle between Spotify and YouTube over video podcasts.
In today’s post you’ll learn:
How Netflix is approaching its deals with YouTube creators with an eye to exclusive content
What’s in it for YouTubers like Ms. Rachel, beyond the paycheck to work with Netflix
How YouTube sped ahead of Spotify in video podcasting
How YouTube’s partner program for video podcasters benefits creators — and trumps Spotify’s “song and dance” about monetizing video, says one dealmaker
Why Spotify’s podcast tech can make your audience harder to measure and could even make it look smaller than it is
The major audio player that’s advising its creators against participating in video on Spotify
What’s working for some creators about Spotify’s partner program
Why one dealmaker thinks both companies’ dominance in the space is a problem for creators and producers
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