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It's Monday and Donald Trump says he’s a-okay with giving TikTok another extension. His explanation: “I have a little warm spot in my heart for TikTok.”

Today’s News

MONEY MOVES

Neal Mohan just unveiled YouTube’s $100M investment in India’s creator economy

The stats: YouTube has already paid out millions to Indian videomakers—and it’s planning to invest millions more in the local creator economy. At the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan revealed that the platform’s payouts to Indian creators, artists, and media companies have totaled ₹21,000 crore (~$2.5 billion) over the past three years.

That money is powering a vibrant creator economy. Mohan revealed that more than 100 million Indian YouTube channels have uploaded at least one video in the past year, 15,000 of which claim at least one million subscribers. The influence of those channels goes far beyond their home country: in 2024 alone, Indian creators earned 45 billion hours of watch time from viewers based in other countries. 

The funding: It’s safe to say that online video has become a national obsession in India, where everyone from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rural villagers operate active channels. The Indian government itself recently announced a $1 billion injection to jumpstart the production of local creator content—and now, YouTube is adding its own cash injection into the mix. Mohan used his WAVES speech to announce a ₹850 crore (~$100 million) investment that will be parceled out to creators across the next two years.

The context: YouTube has already taken significant steps to incubate international talent—including rolling of expanded language dubbing tools and enhanced moderation—but India’s TikTok ban offers a unique opportunity. Without the competitive presence of its Bytedance-owned rival, YouTube’s Shorts format has a clear path to capturing the attention of Indian consumers and dominating the market.

🔆 SPONSORED 🔆

Ready to master Meta’s Edits app? Tune into Creators HQ’s next workshop.

With $40.8 million in backing and partners like Meta, X, and TikTok, Creators HQ is leading the movement to build a thriving community and coworking space for creators. 

Creators HQ offers everything creators need to grow, from cutting-edge filming studios and digital editing suites to UAE Golden Visa support and expert-led workshops. 

Next up on the workshop calendar: “Mastering Edits - Meta’s New Video Editing App.”

Led by Meta Partner Solutions Manager Bahjat Hindy and Meta Strategic Partner Manager Samer Jamal, “Mastering Edits” is a free workshop where creators can get hands-on with Meta’s brand-new video creation and editing app. 

Ready to discover the tools that will take your content creation to the next level? Existing Creators HQ members can RVSP here to join the workshop on May 8th.

Not yet a member? At just $40/month, Creators HQ membership includes…

• Subscriptions to Spotter Studio and Komi

• A ticket to the 1 Billion Followers Summit

• Priority Golden Visa applications

• Use of filming, editing, and production facilities

• And, of course, access to exclusive workshops like “Mastering Edits”

HEADLINES IN BRIEF 📰

• A new flush of Elsagate-esque content is hitting YouTube—and this time, the people behind the videos are using AI. (Tubefilter)
  
  

• TikTok is facing a $602 million fine from the Irish Data Protection Commission over alleged user privacy violations. (Engadget)
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• Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom has expressed concern over AI chatbots that are “juicing engagement” instead of being “laser-focused” on providing relevant information. (TechCrunch)
  
  

• Gaming streamer Asmongold has called for fellow creator DrLupo to be banned from Twitch following a chess cheating scandal. (Game Rant)

TV LEGEND

Reaction creators are giving America’s Funniest Home Videos new life online

The obstacle: Reaction content has long been one of YouTube’s most controversial genres. Creators like SSSniperwolf and xQc routinely catch flak for using other creators’ content without permission, and many others get slapped with copyright takedowns. So, why continue making reaction videos at all? In short: it’s what viewers want. Just look at Daily Dose of Internet, which has more than 20 million YouTube subscribers and over 14 billion views.

Still, most creators don’t want to risk getting flagged by YouTube’s Content ID system—and that means they need somewhere to legally license clips. Enter V10 Entertainment.

The biz: V10 was founded in 2023 and that same year acquired America’s Funniest Home Videos (aka AFV) producer Vin Di Bona Productions. The company has since launched an expansive network of official AFV accounts across YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. Those hubs now collectively claim over 100 million followers and drove over 9.5 billion views in 2024. Their libraries are stocked with clips submitted by viewers hoping to win $100,000 by being voted funniest on AFV. Even when clips don’t end up on TV, however, V10 still often finds ways to license them (and give the original owners a bit of cash in the process).

The flywheel: That’s where reaction creators come in. V10 offers two types of partnerships:

1. Paid licensing – creators pay a fee to use AFV clips legally, including in monetized videos.

2. Marketing partnerships – creators get access to clips at no cost in exchange for encouraging viewers to submit to AFV.

Shawn Kallet, V10’s Head of Revenue & Partnerships, told us those partnerships have helped AFV collect over 200,000 new clips each year, with V10 seeing “an 18% increase in organic video submissions” over the last 12 months thanks in part to “digital creators and larger partners, including Daily Dose, Collab, and Mythical.”

EMERGING ARTISTS

On May 19, Peacock will release shows from four TikTok creators

The genie: Peacock is rolling out four new scripted originals—all of which were developed by creators with significant followings on platforms like TikTok.

Charlie Curtis-Beard, Katie Florence, Serena Kerrigan, and Daren Vongirdner each developed a Peacock original as part of NBCUniversal‘s year-long Creator Accelerator Program, which launched last year with 11 participating TikTokers.

As part of that process, participants earned development deals with NBCUniversal and guidance from development mentors. Now, four of the resulting projects will premiere on May 19 as part of the Peacock Emerging Artist Series:

1. Curtis-Beard’s contribution to that slate is The Warehouse Phase, in which he stars as a musician who starts making content.
   
   

2. Florence is the topliner for breakup story The Kouncil.
   
   

3. Kerrigan is putting her spin on the road trip genre with Older Hotter Wiser.
   
   

4. And Vongirdner’s entry, People Like Me, explores his relationship with his therapist.

If you want to check out those shows before they air, trailers for all four can be found on YouTube.

The context: When NBCUniversal debuted Peacock in 2020, the streaming service boasted a strong lineup of licensed content. But as the quality of that archive diminished, Peacock found itself in the same situation as most other subscription-based streaming services: chasing high-profile originals in the hopes of attracting more consumers.

From Netflix’s creator-centric programming to MrBeast’s Amazon Prime Video original and Jake and Logan Paul’s Max show, influencers have become an increasingly vital part of that strategy. Peacock itself tested those waters last summer when it enlisted podcaster Alex Cooper as one of the hosts of its Summer Olympics coverage. Now, with the release of four creator-driven shows, it’s taking another step into the world of social media stars.

LISTEN UP 🎙️

This week on the podcast…

“The Shorts King”: Justin Flom earns billions of short-form views every month—so, naturally, he knows platforms like YouTube inside out. The viral magician recently sat down with Creator Upload hosts Josh Cohen and Lauren Schnipper to share some of that knowledge, including his thoughts on YouTube's new view calculations, monetization strategies (including brand deals!), and the value of consistency.

Also on the discussion list: YouTube's Q1 success, the latest IAB reports on the creator economy, Snap's earnings, and TikTok vs. Twitch. Check out the full episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts to find out more.

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