Top 100 YouTube MCNs Could Be Worth A Combined $10 Billion

Ampere Analysis has a hypothesis on how much the top YouTube multi-channel networks are worth. In a new report, the London-based media research and analytics company estimated that the top 100 MCNs could be valued somewhere in the $10 billion range.

Ampere used numbers from the past three years’ worth of MCN acquisitions by large media companies to reach the massive $10 billion figure. The research firm discovered MCNs with more than one billion monthly video views were each worth about $100 million, which drills down to about $0.10 per monthly video view on the individual networks.

Using that $0.10 per monthly video view standard, Ampere’s report claims the top 100 MCNs, which bring in about 100 billion monthly video views (or 42% of all of YouTube’s monthly video views), would reach a total valuation of about $10 billion if they were all sold.

“The business model of MCNs is a good fit for many traditional media companies, which understand advertising business models,” said Richard Broughton, Ampere’s Research Director, to The Guardian. “They are also an extremely effective way for traditional media players to reach a younger audience which is leaving traditional media in droves, as well as to experiment with new programme formats and content types.”

This effectiveness at reaching different — and often younger — audiences was part of what convinced large corporations like Disney to acquire Maker Studios, or AT&T and Chernin Group’s Otter Media to buy a controlling stake in Fullscreen. We’ll have to see if Ampere’s estimated $10 billion valuation holds true in the coming years, or if a constantly-evolving landscape shifts the value of MCNs.