Posts for 'YouTube'

This week Colin and I discuss research from Bango showing short-form video’s increasing importance. Next up - more activity driving YouTube’s ecosystem expansion and influence on traditional media. Last, Netflix cut 1,000 people, including their long-time head of content, but the company still lacks a strong growth narrative.  

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SVOD subscriber additions are cooling, and even as the industry leans into engagement metrics, growth still drives valuations.

That's the setup for our conversation with Rahul Patel, Principal Analyst at Ampere Analysis in London, who joins us exclusively on Inside the Stream for the first time to dig into his new report on why global SVOD services might launch free, ad-supported tiers (note, not necessarily a conventional FAST service per se).

Rahul walks us through why streamers have a history of successful "big swings" - original content, password-sharing crackdowns, lower-priced hybrid ad-supported models - and where free tiers fit. He breaks down the motivations and benefits, the risks, and his predictions for which geographies are most likely to see this happen and when.

Colin and I agree free tiers are one of the biggest areas of untapped potential for SVODs, and we expect to see real movement here soon.

Listen on for this engaging interview (32 minutes, 38 seconds)

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There were a lot of new streaming dynamics that unfolded this summer, including YouTube’s growing dominance and budding rivalry with Netflix, two movies from YouTube creators that have generated a combined $900 million+ at the box office, Comcast splitting off NBCUniversal, Fox acquiring Roku, sports migrating to streaming, the ongoing Paramount-WBD saga and much more. 

We discuss the top stories we covered over the summer and what’s on tap for a busy Fall. 

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First up this week we talk about new data from Ampere Analysis showing that the growth in SVOD price increases is moderating. But the gap in pricing between ad-free and ad-tiers is getting bigger. Colin and I have a somewhat different take on the consequences of this price gap growth. From my vantage point it seems like the SVOD services are testing the commitment ad-free subscribers have to avoiding ads by paying evermore to do so. But I acknowledge everything has a limit.

We then shift to talking about YouTube. Research from Attest shows that 90% of Americans are now accessing YouTube daily, ahead of streaming and live TV. And time spent with YouTube and other social video tops streaming and live TV. 

YouTube also continues making moves to boost creator monetization and deepen creator loyalty. These include shortening up view time required to monetize a video, embedding Amazon tags to drive affiliate revenue, and potentially paying large sums to top creators to keep their content exclusive to YouTube for defined windows. 

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Tubi’s latest results, including key engagement metrics, suggest it is firing on all cylinders, validating its place as a winner in the evolving FAST space. Meanwhile, YouTube is upping its game, both by pursuing a major design/UI overhaul, and also by raising the minimum threshold for creators to earn money on the platform. 

We discuss all, as well as implications for the broader streaming industry. 

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Peacock Premium will be bundled with and integrated into YouTube Premium beginning in 2027. The deal is intriguing to Colin and me for a variety of reasons. As we discuss, we’re particularly interested in the cannibalization risk to Peacock, along with how the economics of the deal work, including the upside potential for Peacock. 

Then we shift to explaining why believe there’s no better than a 25%-30% chance that the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery deal will ever close. Last week’s decision to delay the closing well into 2027, subsequent to an antitrust trial, will, in time starkly reveal the declining value of Warner Bros. Discovery, making the already stretched acquisition price even harder to justify. 

Coupled with the particular economics of the deal, we believe there are powerful incentives for Larry Ellison to pay the breakup fee and walk away. 

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The World Cup’s success flowed through to streaming, with Fox One adding 2.8 million subscribers in June and Peacock adding 2 million in Q2. Peacock also turned its first profit in Q2, of $189 million, though management warned results will vary by quarter. 

YouTube also benefited, with over 1.7 billion unique viewers globally watching World Cup related video. That helped drive ad revenue to $11.1 billion in Q2, up 13% year-over-year. YouTube is also pursuing a range of ad enhancements and AI features that will grow engagement and ad revenue going forward.  

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Amid viewership challenges, Netflix continues to diversify into creator and short-form content, video podcasts and more. Is Netflix trying to YouTube-ify itself, and if so, will it work? We discuss all the angles. 

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Two horror movies created by young YouTubers are dominating the box office. Both were made for small sums by Hollywood standards and are attracting overwhelmingly young audiences. Is this the start of a trend for YouTubers going Hollywood, or more of a one-off?

Next, TV OS’s continue to gain in their role of driving viewers to content, according to TiVo’s new Video Trends report. Other new research shows FASTs are still growing revenue, even as ad-supported premium SVOD gains a larger share. 

Last, the NFL’s media rights deals are coming under scrutiny from Congress. Commissioner Roger Goodell was asked to testify about the various streaming deals the NFL has struck, but declined to appear.
    
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On this week’s Inside the Stream we discuss:

• Netflix and Spotify luring podcaster Jay Shetty’s "On Purpose" to their platforms from YouTube and iHeartMedia
• YouTube’s new AI tagging initiative
• Comcast enabling YouTube TV sign-up and billing for Xfinity subscribers
• Roku’s new home screen

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YouTube’s Q1 ad revenue approached $10 billion, up 11% vs. last year and around 25% vs. two years ago. YouTube said that both direct response and brand advertising were strong. However, subscriptions were the fastest growing part of the business, with YouTube Premium and Music performing best, recording their largest increase in non-trial subscribers. 

Meanwhile Antenna estimates that Roku’s Howdy has hit 1 million subscribers less than one year following its launch. At $2.99 per month Howdy is a relatively low cost SVOD service that appears to have high stickiness. The gains speak to Roku's promotional clout. Roku also reported a strong Q1 for ad revenue. 
    
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YouTube is now the world’s biggest media company, with an estimated $62 billion revenue in 2025, according to analysts MoffettNathanson. That would exceed Disney’s, though be slightly less than the combined Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery. We discuss key components on YouTube’s revenue, its competitive advantages and prospects going forward. 

Then we discuss the challenges viewers have navigating streaming services to find sports they’re looking for. New Hub Entertainment Research found that sports fragmentation caused frustration by 87% of viewers. Addressing this pain point are new features from ESPN, Roku and others helping ease things. 

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Apple has partnered with IMAX to screen 5 F1 races at 50 different IMAX locations around the US this year. The move follows Apple’s 5-year deal with F1 from last October for exclusive US broadcast rights. Both of us like how the IMAX partnership leverages the broadcast deal and broadens exposure of Apple TV, likely driving more subscribers. 

Elsewhere, more than half of YouTube’s UK audience now watches on their TVs. YouTube has also become the fourth most-viewed navigation platform, illustrating how YouTube has integrated mobile and web with connected TV. Speaking of YouTube, Stephen Colbert used it this week to stream an interview CBS blocked him from broadcasting. We discuss all. 

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Netflix reported a strong 2025 though Colin calculates engagement per viewer seems to have lightened up. The jockeying for WBD continues with Paramount. Meanwhile BBC is going to start making shows specifically for YouTube. This comes in the wake of last week’s report that by certain metrics YouTube viewership is eclipsing BBC’s in the UK. 

Then we discuss the demise of Sony’s TV business, which was spun into a JV with TCL this week. Finally, Amazon is on a streak, recently recording a new record for live-streaming an NFL game.

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The YouTube colossus rumbles on as new data shows YouTube with 51 million viewers in the UK in Q4 ’25, just edging out the BBC with 50.8 million viewers. The caveat is that this is for three minutes only, with an expanded 15 minute definition still showing the BBC ahead. 

Meanwhile ad-tier usage among paid streaming services continue to increase across the board. Netflix has 40% of its active accounts using its ad plan, while Disney+ has 44% and HBO Max has 28%, all up year-over-year. Last we discuss the impact of Peacock of losing Versant content. 

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YouTube will begin streaming the Oscars globally in 2029 per a new deal with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. As Colin and I discuss, it’s another indicator that streaming platforms’ financial clout and distribution reach have become critical differentiators for marquee events. 

Next we discuss Netflix’s further push into video podcasts following announcements with iHeartMedia and Barstool Sports this week. Finally, we explore Google and YouTube’s return to Movies Anywhere and the ongoing WBD acquisition saga. 

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First up this week, Fox reported that Tubi turned profitable for the first time this past quarter, with revenue up 27% and view time up 18%. Tubi has been a major ad-supported streaming success story.  

Speaking of success stories, next we discuss YouTube, which keeps growing. Alphabet reported that YouTube’s ad revenue in Q3 was $10.3 billion, up 15% vs. the prior year. Shorts is a particular highlight for the company, which separately announced voluntary buyouts this week. 

On the flip side, we discuss how Peacock’s subscribers have been stuck at 41 million for the past 3 quarters. In fact they’re up just 7 million since the end of Q1 ’24. While losses have declined, the $2.5 billion per year NBA rights deal is going to weigh on future profitability. And as we discuss, it’s not clear how many longer term subscribers the NBA games will drive.  

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Antenna reported that ESPN and Fox One gained one million subscribers in their first 10 days, with ESPN gaining the majority. Colin and I discuss whether that’s a lot, or not. We continue to be challenged to understand just how big the target market is for these two sports streaming services. Antenna also said 60% of Fox One’s subscribers came in via Amazon, underscoring its importance to the ecosystem. 

Meanwhile YouTube held its annual “Made on YouTube” event, where it disclosed it has paid out a whopping $100 billion to creators in the past four years. We wonder how that compares to what TV networks and studios have paid out to their creators over the same period? YouTube also shared a number of product updates. 

Last, we delve into ongoing innovations at Amazon and - given its aggressiveness and heft - speculate on whether Super Bowl LXXV in 2041 will actually be known as “Amazon Super Bowl LXXV” (not that far-fetched).

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YouTube said it had 17 million viewers for last Friday’s global livestream of the Chiefs-Chargers game from Brazil. YouTube said that was a new record for livestream. While the game was a one off license, the success of the livestream suggests YouTube’s appetite for more international streaming of NFL game could be whetted. And that the NFL will be further incented to create international rights packages. All of that would add to the considerable momentum behind digital players’ involvement with sports. 

Elsewhere, we discuss Bending Spoons’ acquisition of streaming stalwart Vimeo for $1.4 billion, Paramount Skydance’s efforts to resuscitate MTV’s cultural relevance, and the news from Google that Gemini is being built into a TCL smart TV. 

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First up this week, YouTube continued its strong ad revenue growth in Q2 2025, with revenue rising 13% to $9.8 billion, ahead of its forecast. There’s plenty of growth still ahead as Shorts gain traction, advertisers tap conversion opportunities and AI permeates both content and monetization. 

Meanwhile Samsung signed a number of creators to put original content on its Samsung TV Plus FAST service. But as we discuss, there seems to be a looming decision for creators whether they should simply focus on their YouTube channels as YouTube becomes increasingly dominant on TV screens. 

Last but not least, we dig into the challenges that both HGTV and Peacock are experiencing. 

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