TOGETHER WITH

It’s Wednesday and Spotify is opening its doors to creators impacted by the L.A. wildfires. The platform’s mission: giving artists the support they need “to ensure their voices remain amplified.”

THE BIZ

YouTube and Spotify might have a new video podcasting rival: Netflix

The context: YouTube and Spotify have been duking it out in the podcast space for years, with the former crowning itself the #1 spot for U.S. listeners to find podcasts and the latter signing lucrative deals with shows like The Joe Rogan Experience. Most recently, both platforms have set their sights on the world of video podcasting—and now, it seems like another media giant is zeroing in on the same target.

The challenger: According to four people who spoke to Business Insider, Netflix is exploring potential video deals with podcasters. It reportedly wanted to throw its hat in the ring when Alex Cooper was seeking a distributor for her Unwell network. (She ended up at SiriusXM for a $125 million deal instead, with exclusive distribution of video episodes on YouTube.)

Netflix’s past attempts at talk shows (the closest it’s gotten to video podcasts) didn’t last very long. So, why is it diving back in now?

According to people familiar with the matter, Netflix’s interest in video podcasting is spurred by YouTube’s growth in both podcasting and TV. The streamer has already gone out of its way to package and distribute YouTube-native shows like The Amazing Digital Circus, signed contracts with YouTube creators like The Sidemen and Ms. Rachel, and—most notably—aired a live boxing match between influencer Jake Paul and Mike Tyson.

The strategy: But even though Netflix is chasing YouTube’s heels, it won’t necessarily take the same approach to wooing video podcast fans. Sources said Netflix’s original concept when pursuing Cooper involved creating original TV shows with her at the center. That means even if Netflix doesn’t sign top creators for exclusive video podcast rights—which is likely, given that most already have established audiences on YouTube and/or Spotify—it would still offer fans an exclusive component.

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HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰

• February 14 marks the 20th anniversary of YouTube’s founding. How much do you know about the platform’s storied history? (Tubefilter)
  
  

• BuzzFeed has announced a new social media platform designed to “counter tech platforms’ unchecked influence over an internet increasingly fueled by misinformation, addiction, and negativity.” (BuzzFeed)
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• Meta’s stock value dipped slightly on Tuesday after showing gains for 16 days straight—the longest streak achieved by “any Nasdaq 100 company since 1990.” (Bloomberg)
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• Google revealed on Tuesday that the 2025 edition of its annual I/O conference will take place from May 20th to May 21st. (Google)

SCROLL PATROL

What if TikTok, but Wikipedia?

The context: Everyone needs a break from doomscrolling—especially in 2025. That’s where fresh internet projects like YTCH (a site that presents long-form YouTube content in the style of 80s TV channels) and IMG_001 (which collects unedited candid videos uploaded straight from people’s iPhones between 2009 and 2012) come in.

Now, there’s another digital oasis where viewers can find shelter from the algorithmic abyss of platforms like TikTok and X: WikiTok.

The site: WikiTok is the product of Patina Systems founder Tyler Angert (who tweeted about the idea on February 3) and web developer Isaac Gemal, who spotted the post and brought the site to life two hours later. As of now, viewers who visit https://wikitok.vercel.app can explore Wikipedia pages featuring full-screen images and short text excerpts with every scroll. If users are interested in reading a full article, all they have to do is click “Read More” to be taken to the actual Wikipedia archive.

WikiTok has no ads and no algorithms—just an endless scroll of factoids and in-depth information—and, like Wikipedia, it’s shaping up to be a community project. Gemal has already made the core code available on GitHub, meaning other developers can contribute to the site. Right now, WikiTok consists of the aforementioned article previews, a sharing feature, and the ability to translate articles into 14 different languages. Fast Company reports more features are expected to be added—but even if the site doesn’t expand, it’s still a timely reminder that today’s generations have the opportunity to learn more about our world than any who came before them.

AI ALERT

Promise just announced development deals for a cohort of “groundbreaking” AI artists

The initiative: Promise is out to show the creative potential of generative AI models. The studio—which was co-founded by George Strompolos, Jamie Byrne, and Dave Clark—has revealed a class of “groundbreaking Gen AI” filmmakers who will help it bring that vision to the masses.

Promise’s collaborations with AI artists will manifest as a mix of development deals and in-house residencies led by Clark, who Byrne described as the company’s “fearless creative leader.”

The talent: So far, the genAI directors working with Promise include worldly names like China’s Junie Lau, France’s Guillaume Hurbault, and England’s Ryan James Phillips, as well as artists who have gained footholds on platforms like YouTube. The latter group includes creators Dale Williams (aka The Reel Robot), Cyncratic, and MetaPuppet.

Promise’s decision to partner with YouTube creators makes sense, as both Byrne (ex-YouTube) and Strompolos (ex-YouTube and Fullscreen) have years of experience in the creator world.

The context: As upstarts like DeepSeek remind U.S. tech companies that AI development is a global game, Promise is incubating a diverse group of forward-thinking creators—and it isn’t alone. Amid ongoing tensions between creators and generative AI models, several ambitious startups are looking to usher in more copacetic relations between artists and tech companies. Here at Tubefilter, we’ll be keeping a close eye on those efforts.

WATCH THIS 📺

Mother Monster is killing it on YouTube

The trend: During the Grammys, Lady Gaga delivered a special treat to her army of Little Monsters: a new music video for her song “Abracadabra.” The visuals of that video are vintage Gaga, with extravagant costumes, suggestive poses, and witchy vibes.

On YouTube, that mix of high art and high camp was an instant hit. The official music video for “Abracadabra” picked up more than 28 million views within seven days, bringing Gaga’s primary channel to a total of 199.2 million weekly views. That was enough traffic to bump her up to 18th place in the U.S. Top 50.

Check out the “Abracadabra” music video in all its campy, vampy glory here.

Creator economy marketing starts here. Get in touch to advertise with Tubefilter.

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Today's newsletter is from: Emily Burton, Sam Gutelle, and Josh Cohen. Drew Baldwin helped edit, too. It's a team effort.