Creator Upload

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...

Today: Markiplier is bypassing traditional Hollywood by building his own indie movie studio directly on YouTube. Plus YouTube's got a new deepfake detection tool for celebrities, Keke Palmer's moving to Twitch, Jesser's major exec move and Fixated's acquisition of Studio71. What you’ll learn: -- Why creators can't just sell individual VOD movies on YouTube without a studio setup. -- How YouTube's...

Are B2B creators the future of the creator economy? We sit down with Alex Josephson, VP of Brandworks at LinkedIn, in the wake of its NewFronts presentation earlier this spring. He shares insights into the Top Voices 360 program and reveals that LinkedIn has tripled creator payouts over the last year. Also today: YouTube's Coachella station initiative, Justin Bieber's cred as a YouTuber, h...

OpenAI just bought a creator company (TBPN) for reportedly over $100M. What does this mean for the future of the creator economy? Guest co-host Avi Gandhi , founder of Creator Access Network (CAN) , joins Josh to break down the biggest news of the week. Also: we dive into how NASA is streaming the Artemis II moon mission like a top-tier creator, and YouTube's aggressive push into living room T...

In this episode, Lauren and Josh break down YouTube's unprecedented move at their NewFronts presentation, where executives directly called out competitors like TikTok and Meta by name. We also explore TikTok’s brilliant new in-app integration with Cameo. Plus, we dive into Instagram’s new premium subscription and discuss whether brands funding their own web series is the next major wave of the...

This week: we sit down with Tubi's Rich Bloom to break down their massive new partnership with TikTok. We dive into how they identify short-form talent like Kelon Campbell to create feature films, and how creators retain ownership of their IP. Plus, Josh gives us the inside scoop from the NewFronts in NYC. From LinkedIn's swanky party to YouTube's AI search announcements and the rise of shoppable...

In this episode of Creator Upload, Lauren and Josh break down the biggest trends straight out of SXSW 2026. We explore Phil Rosenthal moving his hit show from Netflix to YouTube, iHeartMedia's launch of TikTok Radio, and Google's new push into the micro-drama space. What you’ll learn: -- Inside Jon Youshaei’s creator "masterclass" approach -- Why creator communities are becoming...

Today: a new era of "creator TV" and the rising trend of short-form "kidslop" content. Lauren and Josh Cohen break down Spotter's new pitch to media buyers, and dive into a new report from the Influencer Marketing Factory revealing the harsh realities of the creator middle class. Plus, Tubefilter's Sam Gutelle joins the show to explain the wild world of "kidslop&qu...

Discover the future of social commerce directly from the experts at LTK, YouTube Shopping, and Gap Inc. Live from SoCom in sunny Venice, Lauren and Josh break down the shift from relevance to revenue in the creator economy. In this episode, we explore why follower counts are losing their weight, how affiliate marketing is evolving, and the ways legacy brands integrate social platforms into retail...

Is live shopping the future of e-commerce? We sit down with Whatnot's VP of Categories and Expansion, Armand Wilson, to find out. You can see Whatnot's 2026 State of Live Selling Report here . We dive into the $10 billion live shopping phenomenon, exploring how the app generated over $8 billion in gross merchandise value in 2025. Plus, we break down the watershed social media addiction tri...

In a historic creator economy move, a digital-first company has acquired a legacy cable network. We sit down with Rachel Stockman, President of Law & Crime, to break down their massive acquisition of Court TV and what it means for the future of media. What we cover in this episode: -- Why Law & Crime bought their biggest rival (and how they buried the hatchet). -- The strategy behind unloc...

In this episode, we break down YouTube’s massive $60 billion revenue reveal and what it signals for the future of the creator economy. Plus, we dive into Markiplier’s Iron Lung shocking the box office. Plus, why Google and certain TV measurement agencies are quarreling. Tune in for: -- The $60 Billion Stat: Breaking down YouTube’s first-ever total revenue report. -- Markiplier vs. Hollywood: How I...

It might be the biggest week in Dhar Mann’s history. From signing a massive 40-film deal with Fox to partnering with the NFL as their Chief Kindness Officer, Dhar Mann is rewriting the rules of the creator economy. In this episode, we sit down with Ross Habif, Chief Strategy Officer at Dhar Mann Studios, to break down exactly how these deals happened and what they mean for the future of vertical c...

Lauren and Josh sit down with Fixated co-founders Zach Katz and Jason Wilhelm to break down their massive $50 million raise from Eldridge. They discuss why the traditional management model is broken, how they are applying music industry tactics to creator content, and their recent acquisition of Ellify. Plus, we look at the latest earnings from Netflix and why they finally admit YouTube is their b...

Interview starts at 10:48. Check out The Ultimate 2026 YouTube Creator Marketing Playbook here . In this episode, Lauren and Josh break down the "carcinization" of media (why Disney and others are turning into TikTok) and discuss YouTube’s strict new parental controls. Then, Arthur Leopold , CEO of Agentio , joins us to reveal The Ultimate 2026 YouTube Creator Marketing Playbook. He expl...

In this episode, we sit down with Jordan Newman, Spotify’s Head of Content Partnerships, to break down the massive updates to the Spotify Partner Program. From lowered eligibility thresholds to video consumption payments that are beating advertising rates, Jordan explains how creators can stabilize their income in 2026. Plus, we dive into Adam Mosseri’s controversial take on why the "aestheti...