James Hale

• For almost a decade, Veritasium was a one-man show. Then it got an investment.
• A $25 million goodbye to Stranger Things

  Stranger Things, the show that arguably made Netflix into what it is today--that is, an entity capable of absorbing Warner Bros. Discovery--is officially over. And for its last hurrah? It brought movie theaters a cash injection of $25-28 million, people familiar with the matter told Variety.

  
• It’s happening: An AI is now the most subscribed to “streamer” on Twitch

  As you may recall, this isn't a new achievement for Neuro-sama. On Jan. 1, 2025, she became the world record holder for longest Hype Train, beating the previous (and now potentially dubious, in retrospect) record set by Pirate Software. 

  
• Starbucks is doing an official MrBeast drink (and sponsoring his Amazon show too)

  This partnership is for more than just a drink. That drink stems from a larger deal between Starbucks and MrBeast's holding company Beast Industries--a deal that put a Starbucks kiosk smack in the middle of season 2 of MrBeast's $100 million Amazon competition series, Beast Games.

  
• FaZe Clan just lost most of its creator roster
• TikTok wants more creators to take a chance on brand campaigns. So it’s offering $10,000.
• Google is churning YouTubers into chatbots. Historically, that has not gone well.
• Reddit’s ad revenue is growing faster than any other platform’s–thanks to the AI boom
• TikTok Shop tempts buyers and sellers alike with new gift cards and cash back
• Top 5 Branded Videos of the Week: MrBeast, IShowSpeed, Nic Cage
• YouTube touts TV podcast viewership–right after Netflix poached its shows
• Will the youths get thrifty-luxe on TikTok?