Creatorverse: As Netflix Bids on WBD, How Big of a Threat Is YouTube?
Hey Creatorverse readers,
Tis the season for giving Warner Bros. Discovery billions of dollars. At least, that’s what Hollywood has decided. No one can stop talking about the ongoing war between Netflix and Paramount over WBD. Though Netflix officially won the bid to acquire the historic brand last week, Paramount hasn’t taken no for an answer, combatting the possible merger with several appeals to WBD’s shareholders.
You can talk about this Hollywood kerfuffle for eons (and we have!) But one of the few under-covered angles in this mess has to do with creators. Netflix is pointing to the size of the creator-dominated YouTube as proof that acquiring Warner Bros.’ streaming and studio assets isn’t anti-competitive, actually. But how legit is this claim?
From a TV viewership standpoint, it’s pretty credible. But Netflix isn’t as much of a media underdog as the streamer may want you to believe.
Throughout 2025, YouTube averaged 12.4% of all TV viewership in the U.S. This is based on the Media Distributor Gauge reports Nielsen has released thus far, a metric that measures monthly TV viewing across broadcast, cable and streaming broken down by media company. Nielsen ranked YouTube as the most watched company during nine of the 10 months available. During that time, Netflix accounted for 8.2% of all TV viewership, making it the third most watched media distributor. Paramount came in fifth place with 8%.
Neither Netflix nor Paramount ranked as the first or second most-watched media distributor during any of the months in question; those positions were occupied by YouTube and Disney. But both companies came in third place during three months each apiece, and Netflix came in fourth place on three occasions. Paramount came in fourth during two months.
Here are the average monthly percentages by company from January to October:
- YouTube: 12.41%
- Disney: 10.51%
- Netflix: 8.18%
- NBC: 8.06%
- Paramount: 7.96%
- WBD: 6.19%
Can YouTube’s content really be compared to premium streamers? Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison doesn’t think so. During an interview on CNBC, Ellison said that Netflix’s argument for buying WBD would be like if Coke said it could buy Pepsi “because Budweiser is a substitute for Coke.” Sneaky burn about user-generated content, Ellison.
But there is one more metric that sort of proves Netflix’s point: YouTube’s living room viewership. Overall, YouTube videos streamed in living rooms tend to be higher quality and a more direct film and TV competitor than what people may watch on their phones. This category is why YouTube has invested so much in making its TV experience feel like other streamers and why the company has given creators tools like the ability to upload in 4k or 8k.
Throughout 2024, YouTube’s living room viewership alone averaged 1 billion hours of content a day. During the same time frame, Netflix averaged 515 million hours a day in total.
Bottom line? No, the next “Game of Thrones” likely won’t be on YouTube. But it wouldn’t be insane to think the next “South Park” or “The Challenge” could come from the world of creators.
Now onto the rest.
Kayla Cobb
Senior Reporter
kayla.cobb@thewrap.com
What’s New
YouTube’s Neal Mohan is Time’s CEO of the year
Time celebrated YouTube’s 25th birthday in a big way, naming Neal Mohan as its CEO of the year. And a huge reason why he was chosen has to do with YouTube’s continued investment and support of the creator community. “The entire dynamics of the entire media industry are changing before our eyes,” Mohan said in the profile. “It’s incredibly disruptive, and if you don’t adapt, you can be left by the wayside.” Congrats, Neal.
Substack is experimenting with native ads
On Tuesday, Substack launched a limited beta program that allows a small group of writers to add native ads into their newsletters. Several Substack creators already have ads in their newsletters, but these are based on deals individual creators have negotiated with brands. Through this pilot program, Substack will build out its advertising infrastructure, connecting writers with brands that has previously worked with creators. As part of this testing phase, Substack will not take a cut of the sponsorships.
This news coming at the end of an especially good year for the platform. Big names like Kamala Harris and Charli XCX joined the platform, and journalists who have turned to the platform — like Bari Weiss and Ryan Lizza — have been making headlines. Controversial headlines, yes, but those are all thanks to Substack.
Webtoon will expand its Creator Program in 2026 with more monetization opportunities and a residency program
Webtoon, the creator-led comic platform, will be giving creators more resources in 2026. These will include new tools to help CANVAS Creators earn money for their work, a Creator Residency program that will take place twice a year in Los Angeles and a VIP recognition program that will send select creators to Webtoon’s Korea office.
Between its Disney deal and its deal with Warner Bros. Animation, Webtoon has increased its partnerships with “traditional” media this year. So there’s a good chance any investment the company is making in creators now will impact Hollywood in about five years.
By the Numbers
U.S. consumers will spend $15.8 billion on TikTok Shop this year
According to a report from eMarketer, U.S. consumers are expected to spend $15.8 billion on TikTok Shop this year, a 108% surge from spending last year. That would mean TikTok Shop would make up nearly one-fifth (18%) of U.S. social commerce sales this year. And I’m part of the problem.
Kajabi and Parafin are launching Kajabi Capital to help creators scale their businesses
Today marks the launch of Kajabi Capital, an embedded capital program from Kajabi and Parafin designed to help Kajabi’s network of creators fund and scale their businesses. As a reminder, Kajabi is a platform that helps creators build things like podcasts, email newsletters and online courses — essentially, supplementary offerings that can be serious money makers.
Speaking of creators and venture capital, Jake Paul and Geoffrey Woo’s Anti Fund is now over-subscribed after its first round at $30 million. Its assets under management now exceed $65 million, and Jake’s brother Logan Paul was named as a general partner.
There may be a wave of Gen X creators in 2026
Next year, brands may take Gen X women more seriously. That’s one of the predictions Underscore Talent made as part of its first-ever 2026 Creator Trends and Predictions Report. Roughly 92% of Gen X uses social media every day, accounting for 28% of TikTok’s user base. This group is also expected to spend $15 trillion annually by 2030. And yet consumers 55 and older receive less than 10 percent of marketers’ budgets. As being a creator becomes more normalized across all ages, Underscore expects that to change.
Movers and Shakers
Alex Cooper and Mel Robbins score Golden Globe nominations
The Golden Globes’ first-ever Best Podcast category honored two creators: Alex Cooper for “Call Her Daddy” and Mel Robbins for “The Mel Robbins Podcast.” The rest of the nominations were either for celebrity-led podcasts (“Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard,” “Good Hang with Amy Poehler” and “SmartLess”) or were from news organizations (NPR’s “Up First”).
Also, conservative podcasts were completely shut out of the category, and everyone is taking it super well. If it’s any consolation, podcasts that paid Penske — which also owns the Globes — seemed like they really upped their chances. Take that as you will.
UTA signs Kylan and Izzy Darnell as well as Warner Bailey
Kylan (1.3 million TikTok followers) and Izzy Darnell (1.1 million followers), the sisters who gained a sizable TikTok following thanks to their Bama rush content, signed with UTA.
The talent agency also signed Warner Bailey, the man behind the buzzy Instagram account Assistants vs. Agents (149,000 Instagram followers). Bailey is the founder of the larger media company Assistants vs. Agents, and UTA will represent him in all areas.
Steven Bartlett invests in Hot Smart Rich as part of a seven-figure deal
FlightStory, the media company run by “The Diary of a CEO” host Steven Bartlett, invested in Maggie Sellers Reum’s Hot Smart Rich. Both a podcast and a newsletter, Sellers Reum’s HSR focuses on female business owners. Though the full investment amount hasn’t been disclosed, FlightStory’s investment is in the seven figures. More like Hot Smart Rich and Financed, amiright?
Back in October, FlightStory’s parent company Steven.com raised funding at a $425 million valuation.
@hallielooyaa Hubby’s Christmas wish @andydonnellyhaha ♬ original sound – Hallie
Who to Watch
Hallie Walker
No one is better at committing to the bit than Hallie Walker (907,000 TikTok followers). You know the insufferable theater kid who made you want to gouge out your eyes and ears in high school? Walker channels that performative sincerity so intensely that you have to remind yourself she’s in on the joke. Like Delaney Rowe (3.2 million TikTok followers) before her, Walker has turned mocking influencers into a deranged art form. If Ryan Murphy or Quinta Brunson don’t cast her, she’d be great in a Tim Robinson sketch.
Bonus Content
- AI ‘creators’ might just crash the influencer economy (via The Verge)
- Instagram Is Generating Inaccurate SEO Bait for Your Posts (via 404 Media)
- Operation Bluebird Wants to Bring ‘Twitter’ Back to Life (via Wired)
Want more? Explore WrapPRO now.
This report provides a weekly deep dive into the creator economy. It highlights key trends, political and technological developments, data points and industry leaders all with the goal of making you smarter about this constantly evolving space.
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