Dave doesn't particularly like Youtube Multi-Channel Networks like Fullscreen, Machinima, and Makers Studios, and wishes they would just leave him alone.
Should you join one? What are the benefits?
Or are they all just spinning you bullshit?
The Ray William Johnson controversy: http://newmediarockstars.com/2012/12/why-i-left-maker-studios/
EEVblog Main Web Site: http://www.eevblog.com
The 2nd EEVblog Channel: http://www.youtube.com/EEVblog2
Support the EEVblog through Patreon!
http://www.patreon.com/eevblog
EEVblog Amazon Store (Dave gets a cut):
http://astore.amazon.com/eevblogstore-20
Donations:
http://www.eevblog.com/donations/
Projects:
http://www.eevblog.com/projects/
Electronics Info Wiki:
http://www.eevblog.com/wiki/

Hi, welcome to another Evie Blabber, You will know It really pisses me off. Multi-channel Freaking Networks! Ah, wanted to do this rant for quite a long time now. for as you know, I'm a full time Youtuber I've been doing it for like five and a half years approaching six years now and for probably the last four of those years or at least since I've been doing this full time. I've been constantly bombarded by these multi-channel networks.

They send me emails. Do you want to join us? You know. I Come and join us. We think your channels fantastic.

Come and join. Our network got all these fantastic benefits and we'll make you a superstar and rich and famous. and everything else. Well, it's all.

Ah, what do you know if you haven't heard about multi-channel networks before, what they are is what. basically YouTube allow this capability and have done for a while where companies, even individuals that can act as multi-channel networks I believe can sort of control your channel and/or control the ads that are put on your channel so they can handle all the advertising. You know there's annoying pop-up ads you see on the videos or the pre-roll or the mid-roll ads and those sort of things. And what they do is they will sign you up and they will take a percentage of your Adsense revenue.

Your YouTube Adsense revenue. It can be anywhere from an hour, some offer as little as five up to like I've heard like 40 odd percent or something like that can be a very significant percentage of your ad revenue even if they do nothing for you, they still take a cut of your ad revenue. And these multi-channel networks, they can be absolutely massive. Maker Studios are, for example, they were not so long ago bought by Disney for 500 million dollars.

So that is 500 million dollars bought on the backs of content producers like who are giving a cut of their revenue to Maker Studios or Machinima is another one. and the one I Want to rant about today that prompted. This actually is our fullscreen and they're one of the big multi-channel networks. I've been approached by all the you know, the top ten as well as all these little tiny ones who are nothing more than I'm sure than just one guy in his mom's basement.

You know that's it. And they claim, well, we're the fastest rising multi-channel network and we'll make you a superstar and get your high ad revenue. blah blah blah. Anyway, Bloody Fullscreen Inc I Have been approached by no less than ten people from this company.

He's got my tenth email this morning from the tenth person there, even though I've told them many times before. Don't contact me again. Oh yes, sorry. we'll put you on our no contact list.

They still keep coming. These bloody multi-channel networks. They're leeches. You just can't get rid of them.

And it's not just the big players. With all these little players, you can generally tell the little players they won't even bother seeking out your personal email. they will just send you like a YouTube message or something like that. Hey, I represent insert company name here and where we think your channel is fantastic.
They haven't even looked at your channel. I Have no idea what your bloody content is most of the time. maybe some of the bigger ones have, but geez. Anyway, Ah, stop emailing me full screen.

I'm not damn well interested in joining any multi-channel networks. now. You might be asking, well, what are the benefits to multi-channel networks now? I'll be fair to for some content producers, they may actually be beneficial, right? So if you're got a YouTube channel in your approach, buy these. All I'm saying is beware.

Okay, because it's usually all Bs. Most of it and things have changed our fairly recently. They used to want you to sign you up for like a year, six months, something like that and they control your channel. everything else, but they seem to right now be happy.

I'll look, there's no contract, just you know, just trial with us or something like that and you know, or we'll just handle the ad side of things. You don't have to sign over your YouTube channel. All that sort of stuff doesn't really matter either way, but certainly I wouldn't be signing over my YouTube channel to anyone. And as a Content producer, you should be damn well 100 percent sure that you're going to get some massive benefits out of it that you can't get elsewhere.

and it's the only possible way to grow your channel anyway. What they claim to offer as benefits number One is pretty much from my point of view, is the only benefit that's a channel like mine would get from someone like this is that they claim to be able to get you a higher CPM of cost per mil or basically the amount of money you get per thousand views typically. And that's how we make money on YouTube and generally as an industry sort of rule of thumb that might be around. you know, four or five dollars per thousand impressions or something like that, right? per thousand views and they can claim anywhere for you know these very targeted marketing campaigns anywhere from 15, 20, or even 30 dollars per thousand.

but they provide no data to back this up, how often you're going to get it? Whatever, and you can get this information from your own YouTube channel? Just go in and check it out and survey. Lalande You'll generally find that the average you're getting is probably not a lot higher than what they're offering, yet they want to take you know, ten, twenty thirty percent of your ad revenue for the rest of the time you signed up with them, regardless of where, like they get you any extra income or not. So anyway, that's one of the benefits they claim to get You you know, targeted. Yeah, the real high pain advertisers, you know.

Apple Or somebody's going to advertise on your channel. blah blah blah whatever. Yeah, Prove it. I've yet to see an OnPoint correspondence with them and I've had extensive correspondence with some of these.
M CMS Going okay, prove to me the benefits they never can. Anyway, that's one of the major things the other one is that they can offer. Some of the big ones are to very some of the high-end providers can provide a studio space and things like that so that may potentially be beneficial to you. may offer production assistance stuff like that, but if you're just a small Channel and well, that you know and you join one of the small providers, well, they're not going to do much there.

The next is that they can provide collaborative assistance with other people in their network. so you might see all of the Fine Brothers are signed up with them. Wow They must be pretty good if I sign up with them. Oh, I Can do collaborations with the Fine Brothers or insert famous youtuber here and well, no, it's almost certainly not going to happen.

and they sign up thousands of channels. It's not like these big youtubers are going to suddenly want to collaborate with you just because you joined. You know you're a little player joining the multi-channel network. It's just not just assume that it's not going to happen.

Third, is that they will promo. or fourth, they'll promote your channel Yeah to who we're on. What? Come on, I mean the way YouTube channels grow is they? It's a snowball effect. The more content you produce up, the higher you get up in the search engine rankings and the keywords and things like that.

And that's how I've grown my channel. That's how all YouTube channels grow and these multi-channel networks will often want to throw examples that you are. and I'll show you the graph. the growth curve you know going up like this of you know, this person joined and there are only a thousand subscribers.

Now look at them. they're a million subscribers and a billion viewers. blah blah blah and well. okay, prove that that growth wasn't just due to their actual talent and the usual YouTube growth cuz my growth curve looks exactly the same.

Funny that jeez, prove that you had any influence on that whatsoever. I Reckon it was the bloody talent that the content producers not you promoting them. It's a bunch of so oh man. And there's the other wanky benefits they provide.

like a backends to help manage your release schedule, of your videos and other statistics and all sorts of things we say claim fantastic whiz-bang things for it. Well YouTube already use you enough stats coming out your wazoo - you don't have time enough to look at. So really, what benefit to these multi-channel networks offer in my opinion as a full time YouTube Content producer bugger-all unless you're in a very snitch specific circumstance where they may be able to offer some form of our production assistance or something like that that might potentially be valuable. but geez, it's not rocket science to set up your own you know, blue screen and have it.
You know, a half-decent air camera for a thousand or two and get some. You know, a couple hundred bucks worth of studio lights and a decent mic for a few hundred bucks? You know, I mean, I don't know. I can't see any benefit to these multi-channel networks. All they do is just take a percentage and suck off the teats of all us content producers.

That's all they do. and then then they get sold out for five hundred million bucks - Bloody? Disney No thanks. Please stop contacting me. I Don't want to join your stupid multi-channel network And my advice to other youtubers out there: Don't bother.

it's just stick to your guns, grow your own channel, and keep producing quality content consistently and you will be a winner. There go you been approached by a bloody multi-channel network? Please tell me below and I'll link in pretty much a horror story to one of the biggest content producers out there, Ray William Johnson, who had a real huge falling-out with one of these multi-channel networks and it's pretty hilarious. Pretty scary. That's a worth read.

it's an old story, it's from quite a few out years back. but anyway, things go really sail with these multi-channel networks and at best they're probably only going to have a marginal improvement. Oops. Turns out that my camera just ran out of memory card there I forgot to erase or check that I had enough space on the car to erase them before I started.

Oops. I Know these labs are supposed to be like a one-take thing, but I think I said pretty much what I wanted to say. there's a father recording it again just to get a single takes. This one will be slightly edited anyway.

I call on these multi-channel networks so if you've been approached, please discuss it down below and well, yeah, steer clear I Reckon catch you next time.

Avatar photo

By YTB

27 thoughts on “Eevblab #4 – youtube multi-channel networks suck!”
  1. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars morfgo says:

    Meddl leude

  2. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Matthew Vandeputte says:

    Great rant mate, thanks for sharing. All my suspicions about them have been confirmed ages ago but it's good seeing bigger channels calling them out.

  3. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Matthew Thompson says:

    True Aussie legend, tell it like it is Dave, they can stick it where the sun don't shine – hah.

  4. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Le Mecano Du Dimanche says:

    I have a little channel compared to you, but I was contacted by several networks.. Last time, I really wanted to look into it, and I read the contract. Oh dear, once I had finished, I was wondering : "for what reason would I sign this ???" No way…

  5. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars bareknuckles2u says:

    I just discovered Dave's videos yesterday. The guy is friggin awesome!

  6. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Aj Raven says:

    Very informative video. I've been putting up videos on my channel and yeah I got contacted by one called Stem Digital. I don't even know why they would even bother with a channel as small as mine…lol…but yeah, like you said, I'm steering clear from all of that ^^

  7. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Tommy, Gracie & Leo says:

    Beware of multi-channel networks! They make a lot of promises before you sign the contract.

  8. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Tommy, Gracie & Leo says:

    Beware of multi-channel networks! They make a lot of promises before you sign the contract.

  9. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars kavizle says:

    Why do youtube support MCNs? I cant see the benefit to them.

  10. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars PresidentialAI says:

    I was contacted by a MCN known as Creative, TWICE! They sent a request via PM and we all know how professional PMs are instead of e-mails, right? I've heard they aren't that good but are masterpieces compared to Machinima or Freedom.

  11. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars God 420 says:

    GO RAY GO

  12. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Wolfphototech Interactive Entertainment says:

    You have incomplete infomation on this subject .

  13. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Fuzzy Puppet says:

    Great video. I subscribed!

  14. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Jayrod64 says:

    The absolute worst thing about networks,even outside of YouTube,is that they try to take away your benefits. When looking for a job, it's much better to go directly to the company you want to work for and apply for job, as you will have more benefits and higher pay with direct hire than with a stupid network. In much the same, you are much better off enabling monetization on videos than joining a multi-channel network.Again, higher pay and more benefits.

  15. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Hola! Justin Long says:

    I love how open you are about CPM and other "behind the scenes" management.

  16. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars RosieQueen68 says:

    +EEVblog Great Dave,this was a very great advice and I am happy you were sincere with us and I like to see some sincere youtubers for once.

  17. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Michael Beeny says:

    I received one after only two weeks with my first video and at that time 10 hits!! Usual story, your channel is wonderful. It's just abit of fun for me. I make nothing from Youtube.

  18. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Z Reviews says:

    Ive been spammed forever by them. Finally hit over 6k subscribers and they are just getting worse now. Product reviewers must have a big target on our backs.

  19. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars FDK says:

    Multi-channel networks is primarily good for channels that use a lot of other people's content, like "let's play" gaming series or shows that discusses news stories. That's usually fair use but it can be a little sketchy. Google's content id anti-piracy system is quite painful to deal with as an independent Youtube creator so the MCN helps you handle that.
    In your case where you only use your own content I don't think you would benefit from a MCN.

  20. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Nimrod says:

    Some people that I respected set up their own MCN. Benefits for them are obvious (more money for themselves) but their reasons why I should consider joining are just not interesting enough for me! They mention a library of music you can use (as if royalty-free music is really hard to find these days) and vague 'promotion of your channel'. 
    For me I feel I'm better off on my own and networking with people and trying to collaborate with those people I like. An MCN won't make it easier for me to create good content, so I'm not going to bother.

  21. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars linuxguy 11 says:

    Have they done it again???

  22. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Dawid Ziaja says:

    REVISION3

  23. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Alex Smith says:

    It is going to suck even more with in the next 3 years are so with Nintendo making people join there network to do anything by Nintendo , I was hoping it world not work out but seems it is so in the years to come we are going to see people having to join 15 diff networks.
    Like 1 for Sony One for apple one for LG.

  24. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Hacker InsideTM says:

    I would never join a multi-network. I'd rather stay the small channel I have instead of going bonkers with advertisements and money cuts. 

  25. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Juergen Boehringer says:

    Hi Dave, I really like your channel! We had quite a heavy story here in Germany with the MCN "Mediakraft" and the content producer (current channel) "Unge". He wanted to exit the contract because they didn't support him. They didn't leve him out of the contract and they didn't even want to meet with him. But they threatened him bankruptcy if he further he tries to exit. Then "Unge" released a video declaring all the bullshit that Mediakraft did. Now "Mediakraft" has a little problem   🙂   .

  26. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Kevin Lau says:

    Didn't get any emails from any of them and i Rather not get one from them. I want to have my own timing and ways of me producing my videos.

  27. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Depresso BBQ says:

    Hi i represent "insert business name here" lol well I  represent the video game guild "Requested Everywhere" we are just getting started on youtube as a guild, but ive been watching your videos for a little over a year now. I've noticed these "multi-channel networks" all over the place…. the temptation to join them is real for a small guild like mine (only got one video up right now so far) but I have always gotten the impression that these networks are nothing more than another version of the big bad media companies, almost like history is trying to repeat itself in the digital world…. Im rambling at this point, but I just wanted to shout out to you here… keep tearing down the old electronics man, i love it!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *