Substack bets on video, again

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🌀 Creator economy updates

YouTube Create is coming to iOS
Google is hiring for an iOS rollout of its CapCut competitor—pushing deeper into mobile editing and bringing Shorts creators along for the ride.

MrBeast scraps AI thumbnail tool after backlash
After accusations of stealing creator work, MrBeast pulled the AI feature from Viewstats and now points users to hire real designers instead.

Valkyrae and Pocket.Watch CEO to be honored
The Creators in Action event (Sept 8) will spotlight Rae and Chris Williams while raising funds for LA’s Saban Community Clinic.

Substack’s still hot—but video might be its only growth hack

Journalists keep going indie—Terry Moran, Mehdi Hasan, Chuck Todd. Some win big. But for most, the Substack dream is getting harder to pull off.

What’s working:
→ 50+ writers earn $1M+
→ Creator-owned IP is thriving (see: Emily Sundberg, Jomboy Media)
→ New tools like live video + vertical feeds help small creators grow

What’s not:
→ Sub fatigue is real
→ Most writers don’t break even
→ Top earners are ditching for Ghost or Beehiiv
→ Twitter’s collapse = harder growth for new voices

The bright spot? Video.
Creators using Substack’s video tools are growing faster—especially those with 500–5,000 subs.
→ Keen On America went 100% video and saw a strong lift
→ Glenn Kirschner brings in a different crowd with Substack Lives
→ Jomboy drops uncut content for core fans on Substack, not YouTube

The pitch: more data, deeper fans, and zero rev-share with YouTube.
The risk: you’re still playing in a crowded, paywalled space.

Bottom line: For most new creators, video is the only lane left to grow. And Substack’s betting big on it.

TikTok and Instagram want in on your TV

YouTube owns the living room. Now TikTok and IG want their slice.

Both are building TV-specific apps to bring short-form to connected screens.
→ TikTok’s redesign targets older viewers and better ad rates
→ Meta is testing a Reels-focused TV app
→ Roku, Amazon, and Samsung deals are in the works
→ YouTube still leads with long-form, NFL games, and swipeable Shorts

The goal? Make short-form bingeable on the couch—not just the commute.
But with Netflix, Pluto, and Tubi already in the mix, attention is harder to win.

Still, TikTok’s confident. “The living room is a new frontier,” says exec David Kaufman.

The TikTok ban talk is back (again)

Trump says there’s a buyer—and he’ll name them “in two weeks.” It’s giving déjà vu. Investors aren’t biting until Beijing signs off (if ever).

Meanwhile, TikTok’s momentum hasn’t slowed:
→ Ad spend jumped to $588M in May (MediaRadar)
→ Media buyers are still spending
→ TikTok’s testing Bulletin Boards—a broadcast-style feature for creators to post updates to followers (think: IG Channels)

Bottom line: The headlines say “ban,” but creators and brands are still going all-in.