YouTube is reportedly offering some of its top creators millions of dollars to keep their content off Netflix and other streaming services. According to Bloomberg and Business Insider, creators would have to agree to an exclusivity period, but the length has not been revealed.
Creators who accept the offer would get direct funding for big projects and a share of major brand deals. This move seems to be YouTube’s answer to Netflix’s move to go after its most popular creators.
Alan Chikin Chow and Nick DiGiovanni are reportedly in advanced talks with YouTube. The company is also reaching out to many other creators, including Sean Evans, who hosts the celebrity interview show Hot Ones.
According to insider sources, no deals have been finalized yet, but talks with several major YouTubers are moving forward. The discussions are considered sensitive.
If creators sign on to the exclusivity terms, they stand to gain financial backing for ambitious projects and a portion of revenue from major brand deals. However, the specific duration of the exclusivity remains undisclosed.
Sources reveal that YouTube might take a strict stance toward creators who refuse the offer. Influencers who maintain both YouTube and Netflix activities could face exclusion from marketing campaigns and events, eventually reducing their audience reach.
Moreover, creators who opt out may also miss out on revenue sharing from brand campaigns.
READ MORE: YouTube view metrics overhaul sparks creator backlash over clickbait
This move appears to be a response to Netflix’s efforts to lure leading YouTube creators. Netflix has also informed creators that uploading identical videos on both platforms decreases YouTube views and undermines its reputation as a source of exclusive content, according to a report.
Even without these new offers, many top YouTubers have already turned down Netflix. Unlike YouTube, Netflix reportedly asks creators to submit videos days in advance and to remove some brand sponsorships, which can limit how much they earn.
These reports come from unnamed sources, not official YouTube statements, and no deals have been signed yet. Details about the exclusivity period, payments, and which creators will join are still unconfirmed.
YouTube has not commented on the program or on claims about penalties for creators who keep posting to Netflix, so it is unclear how things will develop.
