Media

Bloomberg and Business Insider Africa report that YouTube has made verbal offers worth millions of dollars to an unspecified handful of creators, seeking a period of platform exclusivity in response to Netflix's recruitment of YouTube talent. No deals have been finalized, no creators or dollar amounts have been named, and terms vary by creator with no completion deadline set. Separately, the public record shows that most existing Netflix arrangements with YouTube creators involve simultaneous or non-exclusive availability, not full removal from YouTube.

Paramount+ UK monthly subscription prices are rising to £5.99, £9.99, and £12.99 for its Basic with Ads, Standard, and Premium tiers respectively, with mobile operator Three confirming August 27, 2026 as the effective date for its bundled subscribers. Annual prices have also increased, with direct-signup customers on annual plans already seeing the new rates as of early August according to secondary reporting. The exact date these changes apply to all direct monthly subscribers has not been publicly confirmed by Paramount, leaving some billing-route uncertainty unresolved.

Starting August 24, 2026, YouTube will count a public view from the first frame of playback across all formats, though creator earnings will continue to be based on the existing 'Engaged views' and 'Engaged Watch Hours' metrics, which remain available in Analytics. Separately, new creators applying to the YouTube Partner Program for ad and Premium revenue sharing from February 1, 2027 onward will need 8,000 watch hours or 20 million Shorts views, up from the current 4,000 hours or 10 million views. Neither change affects creators already in the Partner Program, and the higher public view counts produced by the new counting method should not be read as evidence of increased audience engagement.