What seems to be at the top of YouTube’s list this year is a renewed commitment to the creators who keep the platform afloat.
According to Deadline, the video-streaming giant has announced that it will return to the core reason that it was created in the first place — to serve as a home to creatives with a focus on user-generated content.
While the platform has spent the past few years building a hub for original programming, the news reveals that they will scale back and put the funds back into programs that were built with creatives in mind.
A Shift In Content
After a shift in leadership with the announcement of the resignation of Susanne Daniels, YouTube’s Global Head of Original Content for over six years, the company will now shy away from original programming and set its sights upon more creator-driven material.
Initiatives for this include the Creator Shorts Fund, Black Voices Fund, and a Live Shopping program.
“Susanne and her team created an international slate of award-winning programs collectively amassing billions of views, shining a light on incredible creators, important social topics, and introducing YouTube to a new audience,” said YouTube Chief Business Officer Robert Kyncl in an official letter announcing the news. “In short, YTO played an integral role in growing the Youtube creator economy.”
A Home For Creatives
To date, more than two million creators belong to the YouTube Partner Program and have received more than $30 billion for the content they’ve created.
“Going forward, we will only be funding programs that are part of our Black Voices and YouTube Kids Funds. We will honor our commitment for already contracted shows in progress and creators who are involved with those shows should expect to hear from us directly in the coming days,” Kyncl continued in his letter.
Now with a return to user-generated content, YouTube could soon be home to a lot of the next creative forces in the industry.
