FOR CREATORS, YOUTUBE'S CARROT COMES WITH A STICK
And YouTube's carrot comes with a stick — creators are required to participate in the subscription offering, or every video on their channels will be set to private, sources said. The move will likely upset some creators, who may object to aspects of the program. "While we can't comment on ongoing discussions, giving fans more choice to enjoy the content they love and creators more opportunity to earn revenue are always amongst our top priorities," a YouTube spokeswoman told in an email.
YouTube's move comes amid increasing competition in the world of online video, particularly premium video. Vessel, created by the team behind Hulu, launched last month with a business model designed to address the gripes of YouTube creators, who have long complained about the relatively few ways they can make money on the platform. Vessel also offers creators a cut of subscription revenues, along with a higher percentage of ad revenue.
The letter sent to creators is below.