Piers Morgan Ditches Rupert Murdoch’s News UK, Will Take Ownership of His YouTube Show ‘Uncensored’
Piers Morgan is leaving Rupert Murdoch’s media empire three years after signing a multimillion-pound deal, according to multiple media reports.
Morgan will take over ownership of the “Uncensored” media brand, which currently has over 3.6 million subscribers on YouTube, through his production company, Wake Up Productions. This continues Morgan’s focus on expanding his brand in the United States and internationally as he moves away from traditional media to focus more on digital.
As part of this change, Morgan reportedly struck a four-year revenue-sharing deal with News UK, which will give the Murdoch-owned company a portion of the advertising revenue for “Piers Morgan Uncensored.”
“I have had a great time working back at News and am delighted that we will continue to be partners. Owning the brand allows my team and I the freedom to focus exclusively on building ‘Uncensored’ into a standalone business, editorially and commercially, and in time, widening it from just me and my content,” he told Sky News on Wednesday.
“It’s clear from the recent U.S. election that YouTube is an increasingly powerful and influential media platform, and ‘Uncensored’ is one of the fastest-growing shows on it in the world,” Morgan continued. “I’m very excited about the potential for ‘Uncensored.'”
The “Celebrity Apprentice” winner’s book deal with the Murdoch-owned publisher Harper Collins is also expected to continue. He will also still write for newspapers owned by News Corp. on occasion.
In 2021, News UK — the British publisher owned by the American mass media corporation News Corp. — announced its move into the FAST space, TalkTV. Morgan was the first name who was advertised as part of this free ad-supported TV offering. Morgan officially returned to News UK in 2022 as part of a three-year deal that included him hosting “Uncensored,” as well as writing regular columns for The Sun and New York Post — both of which are owned by News Corp.
But in early 2024, News UK changed its strategy, announcing that “Piers Morgan Uncensored” would be exclusively shown on YouTube. TalkTV was eventually phased out as a linear television channel to focus on digital platforms like YouTube.
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