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It’s Thursday and after 250 years, Encyclopedia Brittanica is rumored to be starting a new chapter as an AI-focused company valued at nearly $1 billion.

Today’s News

READY TO RUMBLE

Right-leaning streaming hub Rumble gets into crypto with a $775M “rocket pack”

The cash injection: Rumble has secured a $775 million strategic investment from Tether, the digital assets company behind the world’s most-traded cryptocurrency. Tether’s namesake coin reportedly has $118.4 billion in reserves and accounts for more trading volume than any other stablecoin.

Tether’s financial contribution comes at a pivotal moment for Rumble, which is known for its focus on free speech and its right-wing leanings. The 11-year-old streaming hub has been hunting for assets since Election Day, when conservative pundits like Dan Bongino and Steven Crowder drove the platform to its biggest single-day viewership ever. Rumble’s stock price surged in the following weeks, triggering now-confirmed rumors that the platform would appeal for more funding.

According to Forbes, the time was ripe for a cash injection. The publication noted that Rumble was “running out” of funds following Election Day, having already used up the majority of its $300 million backing from its 2022 SPAC merger. Some of that money was used to recruit conservative celebrities like Donald Trump Jr. and Dilbert creator Scott Adams, who inked deals with the platform.

The future: Now, approximately one-third ($250 million) of Tether’s $775 million “rocket pack”—as Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski described it—will go toward Rumble’s operations. While Pavlovski is set to retain a controlling stake in his company, Tender’s investment will also fund a self-tender offer for the platform’s stakeholders. Per Cryptopolitan, the Rumble board of directors approved investing up to $20 million in excess cash reserves in Bitcoin.

🔆 SPONSORED 🔆

Spotter Studio is giving away $25,000 to YouTube Creators like you

Spotter Studio is celebrating the holidays with a creator giveaway. Right now, all Spotter Studio members can enter for a chance to win thousands in cash prizes.

One creator will win a grand prize of $20,000. Five others will receive $1,000 each.

Plus, all six winners will be awarded 1 year of Spotter Studio membership. It's easy to enter, with no purchase necessary. Here’s how it works:

That giveaway isn’t the only reason to sign up for a Spotter Studio membership.

In addition to accessing next-level AI-powered video ideation tools, Spotter Studio members gain access to exclusive Creator Webinars and bonuses of $100 for every friend you refer (friends get $100 upon joining, too!).

Entry for the holiday giveaway closes on December 31, 2024, so kickstart your Spotter Studio membership today:

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HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰

• YouTuber MegaLag has accused Honey—a browser extension owned by PayPal—of “stealing money from influencers.” Paypal exec Josh Criscoe’s response: “Honey follows industry rules and practices, including last-click attribution.” (The Verge)
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• After reportedly losing more than 2.5 million users in two months, X has increased the price of its ad-free Premium+ tier from $16/month to $22/month. (Engadget)
  
  

• Donald Trump told audience members at a recent event that he’d decided it might be worth keeping TikTok “around for a little while” after seeing his campaign’s engagement results on the platform. (Reuters)
  
  

• OpenAI, SpaceX, Palantir, and Anduril are allegedly discussing the formation of an alliance to bid for U.S. government defense contracts. (Gizmodo)

DATA 📈 U.S. TOP 50

Can individual creators compete with media organizations? Pranksters are trying.

The context: Toys and Colors is once again at the top of the U.S. YouTube charts. The kid-friendly hub has become the regular #1 finisher among all stateside channels, thanks in part to its partners at pocket.watch.

But Toys and Colors is only one of the big names on pocket.watch’s roster. As of March 2024, the media company counts roughly one billion subscribers and 681 billion lifetime YouTube views across its network of family-friendly channels like Ryan’s World, Onyx Family, Love, Diana, and more.

The pranksters: So, how can individual creators keep up with a media company who’s got channels like that? There’s no easy way for one person to maintain a high chart position, but some creators have found luck with a genre that seems to consistently attract views: pranks.

From Prank Vs. Prank to Magic of Rahat to the new show Punk You, the history of YouTube is filled with practical jokes. The category has become central to several different channels in the U.S. Top 50—including Topper Guild, the home of a cross-platform star who broke out on TikTok before bringing his mischievous humor to YouTube Shorts.

The prankster has been posting Shorts consistently since 2021, when he first rose to the top of the U.S. charts. Topper Guild reappeared on the rankings this week, when he roared back into the U.S. Top 50 by collecting 167.7 million views in just seven days.

WATCH THIS 📺

This creator beatboxed his way to 16.8B YouTube views

The trend: Media companies like pocket.watch might be hauling in major viewership over in the U.S., but individual YouTubers have staked their claim on Japan. While short-form pranksters vie for a spot in the U.S. rankings, Japanese creators like BeatboxJCOP are reeling in views with creative takes on emoji challenges and viral hacks.

The creator: Unsurprisingly, BeatboxJCOP’s unique approach to those formats is tied to his wicked beatboxing skills. The creator has earned more than 36 million subscribers and 16.8 billion lifetime views by dropping sick beats and mimicking everything from Iron Man to pigeons. Check out one of BeatboxJCOP’s latest videos here to see how he and his musical buds gamify their vocal talents.

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Today's newsletter is from: Emily Burton, Drew Baldwin, Sam Gutelle, and Josh Cohen.