[autoexec]

They might pay creators a fraction of what they make on ads or other extras (digital bullshit like emotes), but none of that is in exchange for the content. The content is still being developed, written, produced, performed, and provided to the platforms entirely for free.

Unless there's some kind option where youtube or twitch signs a contract with select creators and then hands them huge sums of cash upfront for the costs of future content production, or to license the creator's existing content to distribute via youtube/twitch then the cost of getting that content is still just as free for youtube/twitch as it is for the pirate streamers that upload bluray rips.

Ad revenue is money gained from advertisers at the expense of viewers, it's entirely separate from the cost of the content being viewed.

[bjclark]

> Unless there's some kind option where youtube or twitch signs a contract with select creators and then hands them huge sums of cash upfront for the costs of future content production, or to license the creator's existing content to distribute via youtube/twitch

That’s exactly how it works. And the fractions (on Twitch) are between 50% to 70%.

[hackeman300]

>Unless there's some kind option where youtube or twitch signs a contract with select creators and then hands them huge sums of cash upfront for the costs of future content production

For the record this exact thing does exist for bigger streamers. See Ludwig for example, he switched to YouTube exclusively because it was a better deal than his twitch offer.

[autoexec]

I've seen paid exclusivity deals from youtube before (https://www.gamesindustry.biz/youtube-reportedly-paid-usd160...) and while I'm surprised they paid a streamer like Ludwig to defect I'm pretty sure those kinds of deals don't exist for 99% of the content that gets uploaded to the platform.

[bjclark]

99% of page views? Absolutely. Mr Beast absolutely has a YouTube contract and absolutely drives percentage points of traffic.

[Jensson]

> The content is still being developed, written, produced, performed, and provided to the platforms entirely for free.

No, it is developed because the creator expects the platform to pay them for the views. Which the platforms does. Most big channels wouldn't exist without that money.