Channels

• As YouTube refreshes its look, is it time to say goodbye to the play button?
• Neal Mohan’s 2026 letter to creators: A lot of AI, a TikTok Shop competitor, and “beautifully produced” TV to compete with Netflix

  Surprising no one, Neal Mohan's 2026 letter to creators asserts that "the lines between creativity and technology are blurring," and talks up Google's plans to push even harder on generative AI over the next 12 months.

  
• Netflix is counting on Alan Chikin Chow to deliver its next K-pop hit

  Netflix wants to dive more into K-pop after the success of its Demon Hunters, so it has enlisted Alan Chikin Chow and HYBE America.

  
• Top 50 Most Subscribed YouTube Channels Worldwide • Week Of 01/18/2026

  Brazil is booming on YouTube Shorts. The biggest winners are the country's content aggregators, including Ryan Samuel and Paradoxo Obscuro.

  
• Top 50 Most Viewed YouTube Channels Worldwide • Week Of 01/18/2026
• Netflix wants to become a daily habit with its (original) podcasts
• YouTube removes the guesswork by expanding monetization for controversial content
• Governments are confronting the reality of dealing with AI-generated deepfake porn
• Top 50 Most Subscribed YouTube Channels Worldwide • Week Of 01/11/2026
• Top 50 Most Viewed YouTube Channels Worldwide • Week Of 01/11/2026
• YouTube’s new search filters make clearer distinctions between long-form videos and Shorts
• Spotify is slashing monetization requirements for video podcasters