Creator Upload

Can short-form TikTok creators make the leap to Hollywood-style television? In this episode of Creator Upload, we sit down with Rich Bloom (GM of Creator Programs & EVP of Business Development at Tubi) to break down Tubi’s major partnership with TikTok to greenlight 10 creator-led original series. Rich reveals how Tubi is funding original shows, pairing TikTok talent with seasoned production c...

Creators are finally being recognized as real businesses by the US government! Today we're joined by Shira Lazar, CEO of What's Trending and advocate with the Creators Guild of America. We explore the Small Business Administration's new guidance allowing creators to use NAICS code 5121 to apply for SBA loans and federal contracts. We also discussed leaked documents revealing The Wall S...

Traditional Hollywood is officially handing the reins to YouTube creators. In this episode, guest co-host Sean Atkins (CEO of Dhar Mann Studios) joins Josh to tell all about the Dhar Mann creator plan. Plus, they discuss Sony hiring former YouTube executive Fede Goldberg to run its legacy Screen Gems label, and Disney’s brand new wide-reaching partnership with Dude Perfect. What you’ll learn: -- W...

On the show today: we break down the latest news shaking up the industry, including Dhar Mann's massive $100 million pledge to bridge the gap between creators and brands. We also dive into his upcoming "Creator City" campus, discuss why creators are flocking to LinkedIn, and explore YouTube's controversial new "Channel Search" testing. 00:00 Introduction & Welcome t...

This week on Creator Upload, we recap our trip to Dallas for VidSummit, where we had our first proper live event! We share some of the insights we learned from within the creator industry, including a few we didn't expect. Then, we break down a pair of traditional media powerhouses stepping into creator-land, as Live Nation backs Creator Nation and WME launches Creator Labs. Plus, we discuss w...

Josh returns from YouTube’s Made On 2026 event at Pier 57 in NYC with a firsthand look at all the major platform announcements. From custom homepage feeds and TV remote comments to new AI editing tools and voice protection DRM, we break down what these updates mean for viewers, creators, and advertisers. 00:00 Introduction & Made On Event History 04:28 Consumer Updates: TV Viewing Metrics, Pos...

VidCon is officially teaming up with Cannes Lions and moving to Nashville, and Logan Paul just admitted to a $100 million mistake with his hydration brand, Prime. From the IAB Creator Fronts revealing a projected $44 billion industry spend by 2026 to a wild new AI scent marketing trend pitched at Brand Week, we cover the headlines you need to know. 00:00 Coming Up 00:20 Inside the IAB Creator Fron...

Did you know YouTube's public view counts might be vastly inflated? This week on Creator Upload, Lauren and Josh Cohen volley over why influencers are getting their credentials revoked at the US Open this year, and Wimbledon's preemptive bans for next. Then, we analyze YouTube's new "engaged view" metric that exposes over-counted public views, discuss Amelia Dimoldenberg's decision to end her incr...

Is AI ruining our schools, and did a golf ad just ruin a massive creator brand? In this episode, we tackle the recent generative AI bans in NYC and LA schools, debating whether students should rely on artificial intelligence for their coursework. We also break down Google’s new warning to advertisers about keeping a "human touch" for better conversions, and we explore the massive new You...

Meta just agreed to a massive $17 to $18 billion settlement over child safety and addictive platform design, but is it enough to spark real change? In this episode, Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen dive deep into the dangers of deepfakes, AI slop, and the disturbing rise of targeted online extortion against minors. They break down Meta's settlement terms, including controversial contingencies...

Are YouTube's latest monetization and view metric changes a huge win or a total trap for creators? In this episode, Lauren and Josh break down YouTube's new million-dollar exclusivity deals to compete with Netflix, the shift to counting public views from the first frame, and the doubled Partner Program thresholds. Plus, we cover Meta’s massive 29-state lawsuit and ByteDance's new AI co...

In this episode of Creator Upload, hosts Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen break down the week's biggest news in the creator economy. We give our takes on LinkedIn's new feature to flag inauthentic AI "slop" and explore Disney's groundbreaking partnership with TikTok. What you’ll learn: -- How LinkedIn’s new AI detection tools might affect your reach -- The rules behind the D...

Lauren and Josh break down Arizona State University's new BA in content creation and what it means for the maturity of the industry. They also dive into the massive new streaming partnership offering Peacock for free to YouTube Premium subscribers starting in 2027. What you’ll learn in this episode: -- The ins and outs of ASU's new creator degree at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism -- How...

Is broad creator fandom changing? In this episode, former VidCon CEO Jim Louderback (Inside the Creator Economy) joins us to break down how niche creator conventions are thriving, why teen fandom is fracturing, and what went down at Open Sauce. Plus, Lauren and Josh analyze record-breaking Q2 earnings from YouTube and Netflix, France’s brand-new social media ban for kids under 15, and YouTube’s of...

Right now, Netflix is heavily acquiring YouTube creator content, and AI filmmaking is fundamentally changing how stories are told online. Ben Relles (founder of Make Believe and former YouTube exec) joins the Creator Upload podcast to break down these massive industry shifts and what they mean for the future of entertainment. Living with a Merman: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Cv37Yb_9soxgOI4lT...

In this episode, Lauren and Josh break down YouTube's push for Emmy validation and whether creators actually need traditional Hollywood awards. Plus, they explore Netflix's new strategy to compete with YouTube by partnering with digital publishers, and Tubefilter's Sam Gutelle joins the show to discuss the massive battle for the upcoming FIFA World Cup broadcast rights. 00:00 Intro &am...

Did you know a creator just broke YouTube's all-time concurrent viewership record? Today we explore the massive creator economy intersections happening at the 2026 World Cup, including CazéTV's record-shattering live streams. We also cover the latest platform updates, including Instagram's new "Your Algorithm" feature and WhatsApp handles. Finally, Sam Gutelle from Tubefilter joins to discuss the...

In this episode, Josh and Lauren break down the heat, the hype, and the massive industry shifts happening at the 73rd Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. We explore how Hollywood views the creator space, why restrictive brand briefs are officially dead, and the new tools creators need to know about. What you’ll learn: -- Why brands like PepsiCo are shifting resources to influencer m...

Lauren and Josh sit down with Billy Parks, EVP and Head of Fox Creator Studios, to discuss their massive new creator partnerships. Then, we head to France with Ed Davidson, Chief Growth Officer at Cannes Lions, to explore how the festival is treating creators as serious business leaders. Plus, a breakdown of Fox's massive $22 billion proposed acquisition of Roku. 00:00 Welcome to Creator Upload 01...

YouTube is bringing back DMs, and it could completely rewrite how the algorithm pushes your content. Plus, Accenture's massive acquisition of the Whalar influencer agency to CAA's newly formed $250M fund for creator-led businesses, and Hollywood's sudden embrace of TikTok-style short-form series highlighted by a new partnership with the Sundance Institute. 00:00 The Power of Video Clip...

Today, we hear from Robert Kaliati , President of Hammer Media , about the highly successful launch of Hammer Elite on Uscreen. We discuss the mechanics of moving massive audiences off YouTube, the incredible difference in revenue splits (from YouTube's 30% cut to Uscreen's 5-7%), and why user retention is the ultimate metric for creator businesses. Plus, we dive into Lauren's trip to...

Today: Lauren and Josh break down the latest news from Google I/O and what it means for your content. We dive into the history of ContentID, how YouTube is handling deepfakes with its new likeness detection tool, and X's AI-powered push to match creators with brands. Plus, we discuss Tom Brady's move to YouTube and Duolingo's crazy new focus module. 00:00 Welcome to Creator Upload 01:5...

In this episode, Josh gives us an inside look from the David Geffen Theater at Lincoln Center after attending YouTube Brandcast. We discuss how YouTube is packaging creator-led shows for legacy advertisers , new shopping features on connected TVs , and the fighting spirit of YouTube executives taking aim at other platforms. What you'll learn: -- Household name advertisers grew their creator sp...

Does Meta's new age verification work? Is Instagram really banning meme accounts? Lauren is joined by ICYMI's Lia Haberman to discuss her takeaways from the Scalable Summit, Meta's new AI teen surveillance, and the truth about the meme account crackdown. Plus, Josh sits down with Sophia Kianni, founder of Climate Cardinals and Phia, to talk about leveraging AI, scaling businesses as a...

Discover how YouTube giant Jesser is transforming his channel into a multi-million dollar holding company. In this episode, Lauren sits down with Zach Miller , President of JesserCo , to break down their strategic reorganization. They dive into diversifying revenue streams, hiring top executives from Adidas, and mitigating key man risk to build an exit-ready business. Also: Josh went to POSSIBLE a...