Creator Upload

AUDIENCE SURVEY: https://bit.ly/creatoruploadsurvey The Oscars are leaving ABC for YouTube. Here is what that means for the future of Hollywood and the creator economy. In our final episode of 2025, Lauren and Josh break down the massive news that the Academy Awards are moving to YouTube in 2029. We analyze why this shift is happening, the history of the broadcast, and whether creators will finall...

Take the Creator Upload Survey: https://www.research.net/r/creatoruploadsurvey Check out Jon’s new venture: https://www.boring-stuff.com/ In this episode, we break down the $82 billion battle for Warner Bros. Discovery and the controversial new law in Australia banning social media for everyone under 16. Plus, creator legend Jon Youshaei joins us to reveal his new company, "Boring Stuff," and why...

AUDIENCE SURVEY: https://bit.ly/creatoruploadsurvey Today we begin with the massive success of Dancing With the Stars, specifically highlighting ABC's strategic partnership with Call Her Daddy’s Alex Cooper for the finale and the inclusion of creator talent like Whitney Leavitt. In a finding fit for "No Duh" Magazine, traditional media embracing digital creators is expanding viewersh...

AUDIENCE SURVEY: https://bit.ly/creatoruploadsurvey Is Tubi the new home for top-tier creators? In this episode, we sit down with Rich Bloom (GM of Creator Programs & EVP of Business Development at Tubi) to reveal how the streaming giant is funding creator originals and merging Hollywood with the creator economy. Plus, we break down the massive $37B ad spend projection for 2025. What you’ll le...

AUDIENCE SURVEY: https://bit.ly/creatoruploadsurvey Is TikTok building a new radio empire? The creator economy is buzzing about a "podcast gold rush," and the platforms are racing to stake their claim. In this episode, we break down the massive new partnership between iHeartMedia and TikTok to launch a 25-creator podcast network. We explore why this move, along with new initiatives from...

AUDIENCE SURVEY: bit.ly/creatoruploadsurvey Meta's Reels just hit a $50 BILLION annual run rate, but where is the creator's cut? Meanwhile, YouTube just revealed that Shorts now make MORE money per watch hour than long-form videos. This week, Josh and Lauren break down the massive creator economy earnings reports from Meta and YouTube and debate what it means for creator monetization. Josh...

We're in Los Angeles at Adobe MAX 2025 to break down the announcements that will change how creators work, including Adobe's game-changing partnership with YouTube. We're joined by a legendary lineup of guests to discuss the future of creativity. Mark Rober reveals his $55 million secret project for the first time ever, Cleo Abram (Huge If True) shares her POV on editorial freedom and...

Is the creator economy's future in micro-dramas and social commerce? This week, we're unpacking the billion-dollar rise of short-form dramas and whether they're just a smarter version of Quibi. In this episode, Lauren reports from Trilith Studios, the new home of the DC Universe, on the explosion of production in Georgia. Then, Josh unveils his new platform, Gospel Stats, and shares exclusive data...

Stealth Talent CEO Phil Ranta joins the show to discuss the future of creator IP, the rise of the "clipping" economy, and why brand deals are drying up. From AI's unstoppable impact to new companies turning influence into equity, this episode covers the seismic shifts happening right now. Also: Is MrBeast launching a bank? Why are streamers suddenly getting paid to watch old game sho...

Is AI a threat to creators? With OpenAI's new video creation app Sora soaring in popularity, creators like MrBeast are starting to wonder what the future will hold. In this episode, hosts Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen are live from VidSummit in Dallas to break down the biggest news in the creator economy. They discuss Instagram's exclusive new "Rings" awards, major algorithm updates from Faceb...

Today's big focus: the White House has greenlit a $14B deal for a U.S. version of TikTok. We unpack what this means for the app, who is involved (hello, Larry Ellison's media empire), and what President Trump wants to do with the algorithm. But first: the cringey, confusing, and absolutely wild "TikTok Night" on Dancing with the Stars. Was it a brilliant marketing move or a two-hour infomercial we...

Lauren and Josh explore the incredible turnaround of Dancing With the Stars (which is seeing a huge ratings spike thanks to TikTok). Related: TikTok continues its will-they, won't-they journey into US spinoff territory. We have to ask: will the rest of the world follow? Then, a turn to creator commerce as Sephora, Condé Nast, and Best Buy are all launching their own "creator storefronts,&...

We sit down with YouTube superstar Jordan Matter for an incredible conversation about the launch of Sincerely Yours, the skincare brand he created with his daughter, Salish. Jordan walks us through the entire journey, from the initial idea to their "Sephora or Bust" retail strategy. He shares the unbelievable story of their launch event, where an expected crowd of a few thousand turned i...

Is MrBeast starting a mobile phone company? In this episode, we break down a leaked pitch deck that reveals Jimmy Donaldson's next potential business venture and what it tells us about his plan for profitability. Plus, YouTube's first exclusive NFL broadcast set a new livestreaming record, but traditional sports fans are NOT happy about creators like IShowSpeed and Deestroying taking over the comm...

Lauren and Josh dive into a wild week that saw Roblox shatter concurrent user records thanks to a viral developer beef over a game called "Italian Brainrot." The duo unpacks how this grassroots event, which supported MrBeast and Mark Rober's Team Water initiative, amassed 47 million simultaneous players...and what it means for youth culture and platform safety. Next: YouTube's new Hype feature, a...

Is Hollywood's most prestigious night coming to YouTube? This week, we break down the news that YouTube has inquired about the broadcast rights for The Oscars and what it means for the future of entertainment. As the lines continue to blur, Mark Rober and Jimmy Kimmel are teaming up for a new show on Netflix, and Fox's Tubi is bringing on creators like MrBeast. Then, we dive into the serious lawsu...

Today: Lauren and Josh Cohen fangirl over Taylor Swift's first-ever podcast appearance on New Heights and assess the massive impact it had on the show's viewership and subscriber numbers. Then, they are joined by Evan Britton, the founder of Famous Birthdays, to discuss their new partnership with Pixability, a data and media solutions company. Britton explains how Famous Birthdays' platform-agnost...

Today we are joined by creator, entrepreneur, and investor Caspar Lee for an in-depth interview. Caspar shares his unique perspective on transitioning from a top YouTube creator to a business leader, discussing the current phase of the creator economy and how brands can succeed by learning to "think like a creator." He also dives into the significant growth of influencer marketing budgets and the...

YouTube, Meta, and TikTok are suddenly rolling out a slate of new teen safety features. Is this a genuine effort to protect young users, or a reaction to massive regulatory pressure and potential fines? (That's not stopping YouTube from reversing a controversial policy on profanity, trusting its AI to keep advertisers happy.) And: MrBeast expands his empire, launching an animated series to create...

Rachel Stockman, President of Law & Crime   , the top trial channel on YouTube, joins today's pod! She shares insights from their extensive coverage of the Diddy trial, highlighting their innovative use of AI to recreate courtroom scenes from real transcripts due to cameras being disallowed. She also explains their "YouTube-first" strategy, especially how focusing on in-depth, long-form conten...

Is the creator dream a lie? With over 50% of creators earning less than $15,000 a year, the creator economy's monetization gap is wider than ever. In this episode, Josh and Lauren explore the harsh realities of creator earnings revealed in a new NeoReach study. They discuss the threshold that separates struggling creators from those who accelerate their earnings, why only 5% of creators make over...

Dhar Mann, just named a Titan on the TIME100 Creators List for 2025, joins Creator Upload to reveal the strategy behind his global media empire. In a candid conversation, Dhar shares why he stepped down as CEO, his playbook for acquiring other creators, and his vision for why brands need to start thinking like creators. Plus, hosts Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen break down the massive news of T...

We're back from a whirlwind week of travel to cover the biggest events in the creator economy. Fresh off the plane from France, we share our key takeaways from Cannes Lions. We discuss why the world's biggest advertising festival, while having a much louder conversation around creators than last year, still feels like an "old school advertising convention" that has yet to fully embrace creator-led...

In this special episode of Creator Upload, recorded live from the 72nd annual Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, hosts Lauren Schnipper and Joshua Cohen feature a fantastic lineup of guests across the creator economy, including:Ed Davidson, Chief Growth Officer for Cannes Lions International Festival: Davidson discusses the growth of the creator track at Cannes Lions, now in its se...

Josh and special guest Monica Khan, Partner & Head of Digital at Strand, tackle everything that's fit to discuss in the creator economy this week. They discuss the increasing presence and influence of creators at major industry events like VivaTech and Cannes Lions. The conversation also covers a significant forecast from WPP, predicting that creator platforms will surpass traditional media in...