Each week, we handpick a selection of stories to give you a snapshot of trends, updates, business moves, and more from around the creator industry. This week, Kai Cenat has academic ambitions, an old-school online video rivalry has bene revived, and an 11-year-old is becoming a beverage connoisseur.
Creator commotion
The king of streaming wants to take his fans to school. Kai Cenat has expressed his desire to set up a “streamer university” by renting out a college, putting creators up in the dorms, and bringing in big shots like MrBeast and Mark Rober to teach classes. Just think of how legendary the parties would be.
Pokimane’s security bill is getting expensive. The popular streamer told Colin and Samir that she spends five figures per month on her security detail. Taylor Lorenz of User Mag has dubbed that expense the “Female Creator Safety Tax,” and it’s much higher than the average male creator might expect.
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Charlie, who bit his brother’s finger, is celebrating YouTube’s 20th birthday. The viral star of the “Charlie bit me” video told The BBC that he’s never known a world without YouTube fame. Whatever you say, boss — just maybe refrain from the NFTs from now on.
Platform headlines
YouTube and Paramount had a dispute for old time’s sake. More than a decade ago, a legal battle between YouTube and Viacom set an important precedent for digital applications of copyright law. These days, YouTube and Viacom’s current owner are duking it out over carriage rights. YouTube TV nearly lost channels like Comedy Central and MTV before a short-term deal was reached.
Trump may extend the length of TikTok’s U.S. reprieve. The President initially gave TikTok 75 days to negotiate a deal that would keep it operation in the United States, but it looks like the app might get an extension on that deadline. Turns out that brokering an agreement that appeases the Chinese government is easier said than done.
TwitchCon is coming back to Rotterdam. The European edition of Twitch’s annual convention is due to return to the Dutch port city for a two-day gathering that will begin on May 31, 2025. After hosting events in Berlin, Amsterdam, and Paris, Twitch seems to have found a regular home for TwitchCon Europe in Rotterdam.
Pop culture minute
Season one of Beast Games is in the bag. The winner of the $10 million grand prize in MrBeast’s Amazon Prime competition series has been revealed. I won’t spoil it in case you’re still trying to catch up on Beast Games, but at this point, Jimmy Donaldson might as well change his moniker to MrMoneybags.
The head of YouTube Music is trying to talk some sense into Kanye. In his pre-YouTube role at Def Jam Recordings, Lyor Cohen worked with hip-hop stars like Kanye West. These days, Cohen is more concerned about Ye’s hard left turn toward antisemitism, and he’s trying to do something about it, as futile as that effort may be.
YouTube says dog grooming videos are the new hotness. That genre earned more than 400 million total views in 2024, according to a post on YouTube’s Culture and Trends Blog. The grooming sessions will continue until there are no more dogs with “crazy hair coming out.”
The biz
More than 11,000 “new media” reporters want access to Trump’s White House. The current administration called on creators and podcasters to apply for press credentials, and those fresh-faced news sources have taken up the offer in astonishing numbers. At this rate, we might need a new YouTube Space inside the White House.
Gushcloud and Azure Capital are launching a Finance Fund for creators. The management company and the financial firm are teaming up to seek out “high potential creators” in key verticals like beauty and wellness. Creators who are looking to launch their own businesses are in the best position to benefit from the new fund.
The U.S. radio industry has surpassed $2 billion in digital revenue for the first time. The rise of podcasting and digital stations has been big business for radio companies, which are expected further growth over the 2025 calendar year. Just wait until they get TV on the radio — then the numbers will really start going up.
The internet is a strange place
Leo Kelly is the Shirley Temple king. The New York Times profile of the 11-year-old beverage reviewer noted his Keith Lee-esque power to reshape restaurant menus. And yes — the interview was conducted over a pair of Shirley Temples.
Everybody wants an Poppi vending machine. The beverage brand’s Super Bowl campaign has been criticized for connections to influencers that many consider tone-deaf. Case in point: Poppi apparently gifted social media stars with personal vending machines, and that doesn’t sit well with the normies who also want free soda in their houses.
Apple Watch is the hot new anklet. Wearing the device right above your foot is becoming a notable fashion trend. Some people argue that the fit provides more accurate readings. I get it — I also hate it when my fitness tracker shortchanges my steps, and if I have to look incredibly dorky to rectify that, I will.
