YouTube boss Neal Mohan declared that creators should be eligible to win Emmy awards (per Variety). Speaking at his company’s Brandcast event held during upfronts week, Mohan said:
Creators are drawing audiences on the big screen because they’re the new Hollywood. They have business strategies, writers’ rooms and production teams… Creators are redefining what we think of as ‘TV.’ And they deserve the same acclaim as other creative professionals. I believe it’s time a creator won an Emmy.
Mohan also wrote an op-ed for The Hollywood Reporter making the same argument.
It is certainly true that the top creators are operating in the same way as TV and movie studios, albeit there are often fewer people involved. They are no longer scrappy upstarts but huge multi-million dollar businesses. I do, therefore, have some sympathy with the case Mohan is making. Indeed, for many people, YouTube is television.
I won’t be holding my breath though. Think of the battle streamers had with the gatekeepers to get recognised by the awards. There are still rules that demand movies to be shown in theatres. These were strengthened as the pandemic softened. I also think that the style of content associated with creators is currently rather different to the kind of work the Emmys recognise.
Perhaps it is time for a new creator category?
YouTube Does WNBA Deal
Another interesting thing I noted in Mohan’s comments – the WNBA and his company have done a deal. Friday night games broadcast on ION will also be available via YouTube TV. The deal applies to both the home and away teams’ markets. Told you women’s sport is having a moment. It will be fascinating to see how this combines with the Caitlin Clark effect to drive viewing numbers.
Of course, the platform already shows sport. YouTube TV famously won the battle for NFL Sunday. No wonder NFL commissioner Roger Goodall turned up at the event for the second consecutive year.
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