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Tech channels throwing shade đ
And paying the price.
Itâs Thursday and streaming services just scored a major victory over cable and broadcast TV. For the first time ever, linear television now makes up less than half of all TV usage.
TOXIC TECH?
Linus Tech Tips threw shade at 2 rival channels. Now, its creators are at the center of a PR nightmare.
A shady comment has turned into a major problem for Linus Tech Tips. During a tour of the channelâs studio, an employee remarked that âthe difference between us and someone like Gamers Nexus or Hardware Unboxed is that we test new components, new tests, every time.â
Unsurprisingly, that comment wasnât appreciated by the channelâs rivals. But Gamers Nexus and Hardware Unboxed were far from the only detractors to lodge complaints against Linus. Current and former Linus Media Group workers have now spoken up about a âgrindsetâ culture that prioritized regular uploads over the mental health of content producers. One former employeeâMadison Reeveâdescribed a workplace filled with threats, intimidation, inappropriate sexual comments, and corporate inaction:
There is a system of micro-managing and a level of distrust because the amount of content they have to push out daily is so insane, no one gets a break.
In addition to mental health and management concerns from current and former employees, Linus Tech Tipsâ competitors responded with detailed critiques of the channelâs product testing methods. A 44-minute video posted by Gamers Nexus provides several examples of instances when the desire to churn out videos superseded the quality of those videos.
Linus Tech Tipsâ response: CFO Yvonne Ho says the channel will go on a week-long hiatus in order to implement âlong-term workflow changes.â Channel founder Linus Sebastian confirmed that direction, noting that the brand has âsome work to do on internal processes and communication.â
The company will also be looking into allegations regarding workplace toxicity. According to Linus Media Group CEO Terren Tong, an outside investigator will be brought in to investigate Reeveâs claims.
HEADLINES IN BRIEF đ°
Nine-year-old creator economy company Fanjoyâwhich reportedly owes money to between 100 and 199 creditorsâhas filed for bankruptcy. (Tubefilter)
âYouTube has announced several new NFL Sunday Ticket features, including live chats and polls. (Engadget)
âNYC is the latest city to ban TikTok on government-owned devices and networks. (Gizmodo)
âAccording to a Snapchat spokesperson, a brief glitch caused the appâs My AI chatbot to begin posting short Stories despite not actually having a Stories feature. (Engadget)
DATA ⢠STREAMERS ON THE RISE đ
This streamer needed only one piece of advice to get started: âSocial media is your best friend.â
When SideLogic was just six years old, his parents gave him a present that changed his life: a PC. The creator started gaming almost immediatelyâand never stopped. By the time he graduated from high school, SideLogic had been playing video games and watching Twitch stars like PewDiePie for nearly a decade. He knew streaming was something he wanted to do professionally, tooâbut he wasnât sure where to start.
At the time, SideLogic says, he âhad that mentality of, itâs too late.â Still, he knew he had to give streaming a try. So, he reached out to his favorite creators for tips.
Their advice: âSocial media is your best friend in this industry.â
SideLong took those words of wisdom to heart. After streaming for a few months on Twitch without much success, the creator threw himself into social media. He took two weeks off of work to research the industry and then committed to posting on TikTok every single day. It was the right approach. By the time SideLong decided to quit his job, he had developed a loyal following and a strict posting scheduleâone that brought his content to every platform from YouTube Shorts to Facebook Reels.
Nowadays, SideLong claims both a devoted audience on Twitch and millions of followers across TikTok, Shorts, and Reels. As for his advice to up-and-coming creators?
SideLong stands by the same words that helped him take the initial leap into streaming:
âI used to think itâs too late, but it is possible. Just start. Social media is your best friend.â
KEEPING UP WITH THE COOL KIDS
Netflix is Generation Alphaâs favorite brand
Netflix might be âenemy number oneâ among WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikers, but the streaming service is doing just fine in the eyes of Gen A viewers. According to an annual survey conducted by consulting firm Beano Brain, 72% of U.K.-based respondents between the ages of seven and 14 dubbed Netflix âcoolââa pronouncement that landed it the #1 spot on Beanoâs list of 100 Coolest Brands for Kids & Teens. In total, the firmâs report surveyed 60,000 kids.
âNetflix is number one at meeting Gen Alphaâs needs from a brand when it comes to having a clear and salient proposition, the ability to create a sense of occasion to share with family and friends, and exposure to interesting collaborations and edgy, sometimes dark, content.â
Netflix usurped last yearâs top brandâYouTubeâto claim the premiere spot on Beano Brainâs Top 100 list, knocking the video platform down to #2. McDonaldâs (#3), Nike (#4), Oreo(#5), and several other major companies suffered similar fates:
Generation Aâs adoration for Netflix is a sign of a hefty generational gapâand one that seems to be working in the streaming serviceâs favor. While Netflixâs role in this yearâs strikes has given it a villainous reputation among actors and writers, its knack for producing hit shows like Wednesday and Stranger Things has clearly secured the admiration of young viewers.
WATCH THIS đş
Coralineâs cult following came through for a two-day box office bonanza
Laikaâs 14-year-old cult classic, Coraline, returned to theaters for two short days this monthâand immediately killed at the box office. The result: the stop-motion masterpiece grossed $4.91 million between August 14 and 15, coming in just behind Barbie and Oppenheimerâs daily hauls.
Given the power of Coralineâs online following, TikTok users probably arenât too surprised by that success. Hereâs hoping the filmâs devotees come through for its next big re-release on August 28 and 29.

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