Netflix signs 20-plus YouTubers and bars podcast video from YouTube; YouTube counters with up to $10 million 'stay' packages for its top 15
YouTube has offered roughly 15 of its top creators up to $10 million each. The condition is exclusive uploading to YouTube for a set period. The Ankler, the U.S. entertainment-industry outlet, reported the figures on August 26 and the same day on its Ankler Agenda podcast.
It is the first time in years YouTube has paid creators to stay. Bloomberg reported on August 19 that the payments take two forms, direct financing of programs and a share of major brand deals, and that creators who release simultaneously on Netflix will be left out of marketing campaigns, events and certain brand-campaign proceeds. Netflix has signed more than 20 YouTube creators over the past two years.
Behind YouTube's exclusivity terms is Netflix's offensive. In July, Netflix signed Rhett & Link, the Stokes Twins, Alan Chikin Chow and Nick DiGiovanni with a condition that their videos go up on Netflix the same day they go live on YouTube.
Netflix's podcast deals, as reported so far, let audio run on every platform but keep video exclusive to Netflix and prohibit posting it on YouTube. In some cases Netflix has allowed video to stay on Spotify.
On its podcast, The Ankler said YouTube "doesn't want its creators making day-and-date deals with Netflix because that could devalue the content on YouTube and hurt YouTube's argument when it goes out to advertisers, to say we're the only place that has MrBeast, Rhett and Link, Kareem Rahma."