The Future of Entertainment Recap: YouTube Rising

The entertainment industry—once controlled by a handful of studios and networks—is undergoing a transformation. Thanks to platforms like YouTube, creators with little more than a smartphone and Wi-Fi are reshaping what we watch, how it’s made and who gets to make it.

This month, Nielsen ranked YouTube as the most-watched streaming platform in the U.S., commanding 13% of all TV viewership. It’s a milestone that signals a deeper shift: The center of gravity in entertainment is moving away from Hollywood toward a more creator-driven, platform-native future.

At a recent panel hosted by The Information, media and entertainment reporter Sahil Patel spoke with three insiders shaping this evolution:

• Esi Eggleston Bracey, chief growth & marketing officer, Unilever
• Dhar Mann, content creator & founder, Dhar Mann Studios
• Kim Larson, managing director, head of creator & gaming, YouTube

A New Entertainment Model

Traditionally, entertainment has been a slow-moving beast. The time from green light to production can take years, and projects are often subject to creative, financial or political derailment. Not so in the creator economy.

“On Monday, we can talk about five different ideas for feature films; on Tuesday, we have it green-lit; on Friday, we start production. Within a month, it’s out,” said Mann, whose studio has grown from a solo operation in his apartment to a 200-person team in Burbank, Calif.

Producing on YouTube also allows creators to retain full ownership of their IP. “We can build multiple businesses around our IP,” Mann said. “We’re not just reliant on platform revenue.” Beyond YouTube ads and merchandise, creators like Mann are striking syndication deals—his studio recently signed with Samsung—and exploring brand integrations across their content universe.

What’s more, YouTube’s comment sections function like a continuous focus group. “I can actually see our community commenting, learn from that, and adapt,” said Mann. “It feels like we have a much stronger direct connection with our audience.”

Still, despite attracting more viewers than many prime-time TV shows, creators like Mann see little brand revenue. “98% of our income still comes from the platform,” he said. “The system hasn’t caught up.” The challenge, he explained, is that most advertisers still bucket spending into TV, programmatic or influencer marketing buckets—with no clear place for premium creator-led entertainment.

A Shift in Perception

That may be changing. Kim Larson, who leads YouTube’s creator and gaming division, said the lines between traditional and digital content have not only blurred—they’ve dissolved.

“We’ve had three creators self-submit for an Emmy, and some of our biggest stars are producing full-length films,” she said.

Meanwhile, studio execs have started mining YouTube talent in earnest on the heels of recent successes, such as “Ms. Rachel” on Netflix and Amazon Prime’s “Beast Games.”

The Implications for Brands

As viewing patterns change, so too must advertising.

“There’s no such thing as a captive audience anymore,” said Unilever’s Bracey. “To reach people, brands need to entertain.”

Consumers today split their attention across six to eight platforms on average. To break through, brands have to stop interrupting content and start integrating with it. That means rethinking the agency model and working directly with creators.

Larson cited Dove’s partnership with YouTube creator Michelle Khare as a successful example. The result: a cinematic-quality series, “90 Day Black Belt,” that Dove helped bring to life.

“She would never have been able to afford that production value without Dove,” she said.

Bracey believes this kind of collaboration is the future—not just for megabrands, but for creators and marketers alike.

“You can’t outsource this anymore,” she said. “We have to own our message and find creators who can authentically amplify it.”

One major challenge remains: measurement. Without robust performance data, creators are often left in the dark about how well brand deals perform—and unable to negotiate better ones. Larson called the attribution loop “completely broken,” and said solving it is key to fairer, more effective partnerships.

The rise of YouTube is making the business of entertainment more fluid—and more collaborative. Brands and executives that don’t catch up might find themselves left behind.

“People sticking to the same old system don’t understand that the game has changed,” said Mann.