Streaming service Tubi and its parent company Fox are all about creators these days, and a partnership with TikTok will double down on that commitment. The two platforms are uniting to launch a Creatorverse Incubator that will help creators transition into the realm of long-form programming.
The partners Tubi chooses for its inaugural incubator cohort will develop original series that will premiere exclusively on the free-to-watch content hub. Both scripted and unscripted formats will be considered, and Tubi plans to launch shows across a variety of genres. The first Creatorverse participants will be revealed in the summer.
TikTok will help Tubi identify creators who are good fits for the Creatorverse Incubator. The app will also use its Spotlight solution to drive engagement and hype surrounding the original shows.
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“Tubi is doubling down on giving creators a real bridge from digital platforms to premium long-form storytelling,” said Tubi GM of Creator Programs and EVP of Business Development Rich Bloom in a statement. “TikTok has become one of the most powerful engines for discovering creative voices and building passionate communities at scale. This partnership allows us to work with successful TikTok creators who are ready to take the next step creatively, expanding their fandoms to new audiences on Tubi and bringing Tubi fans more stories they can’t find anywhere else.”
The arrival of former TikTok exec Kudzi Chikumbu at Tubi signaled the platform’s intention to elevate the voices that are bubbling up on social media feeds. A slate of creator programming followed, including contributions from TikTokers like Kelon Campbell.
Tubi is not the only Fox property making that pledge. Tubi’s parent recently announced the hire of Billy Parks, a programming exec who has worked on several creator-led shows.
If you’re wondering why Fox is so gung-ho about creators, Tubi’s The Stream report provides the statistical justification for the push. The annual survey of U.S. consumer habits revealed an increasing preference for creator content over traditional fare. 67% of respondents expressed that particular opinion, and 77% of respondents said they would rather stream on-demand programming than tune into a scheduled show.
Creator content, however, is not just supplanting TV — it’s becoming TV. 63% of Tubi’s respondents said that watching creator content feels no different than streaming a TV show.
If creators are going to be the future of entertainment, Tubi plans to be right there alongside them. The Fox-owned hub will talk more about its plans (and the rationale behind them) when it hosts a NewFronts presentation on March 24.
