Articles
The creator economy magazineAnalyses of the European creator economy from primary sources. Pick a topic and read.
Disney opens Marvel and Star Wars to creators on TikTok
Fans can make videos with Marvel and Star Wars characters, and Disney will run them in its Disney+ feed too. Short vertical drama apps earned about $700 million in Q1 2025 alone. Disney is adopting a format built by Chinese apps.
Spotify passes 300 million subscribers and lifts its margin
Spotify has 300 million paying subscribers, the first major audio streamer past that mark. Below the milestone is the financial news: €655 million operating profit and a 33.4% gross margin. The question now is how much of audio's economics reaches creators.
Apple leads podcast downloads but ranks fourth for listening in the UK
Only 10% of British weekly podcast listeners name Apple Podcasts as their main app, Edison Research data shows. Apple still leads downloads with 37.5%. The gap between the two numbers shows where podcast attention is measured today.
Top creators do not invent formats, they copy proven ones
The most successful creators do not invent formats. They take proven ones and stand out through their content. YouTube took Shorts from TikTok, which itself grew out of a purchased app. A hook can be borrowed, reputation cannot.
TikTok tests paid vertical drama with LimeShorts
PineDrama is free and LimeShorts costs $20 a week. In the US, TikTok is testing vertical microdramas and for the first time brings discovery, viewing and payment under one roof, a role ReelShort and DramaBox used to play.
Jay Shetty licenses his podcast to Spotify and Netflix for $100 million
Jay Shetty went from a Hindu monastery to a deal with Spotify and Netflix. Podcasters keep the rights to their shows, and platforms pay only for a time-limited licence. Joe Rogan reportedly got up to $250 million this way, Alex Cooper $125 million.
Article 50 applies from 2 August. AI video for creators gets a label
From 2 August 2026, European creators and brands must disclose the artificial origin of AI video and deepfakes. Machine-readable marking has a deadline of 2 December. Fines reach €15 million or 3% of global turnover. Compliance is becoming a business signal.
Top podcasters earned $638 million and keep the rights
The highest-paid podcasters earned a combined $638 million in a year. The money flows from show rights that creators keep. Streaming services pay for licensing and distribution and compete for premium names.
LinkedIn adds an AI slop button and ends its own writing tool
LinkedIn has launched a “Seems like AI slop” button and is removing its own tool for rewriting posts. Pangram found that over 40% of long posts on the network are fully machine-generated. The same week, Article 50 of the EU AI Act takes effect.
Fake TikTok skits hide ads that are banned in Europe
Staged skits about bad bosses and toxic mothers-in-law collect millions of views on TikTok. In fact they are undisclosed ads for affiliate products. A US regulator and European rules both classify them as advertising that cannot be concealed.
Holly Willoughby takes her show Together to YouTube
Holly Willoughby launched the lifestyle show Together straight to YouTube, bypassing ITV and Netflix. The first episode with Stanley Tucci got one star from the Telegraph. The bet is on the audience she brings with her, not on a broadcaster.
AI content must be labelled from August. Creators act before the regulator
From 2 August 2026, AI content in the EU must be machine-readably labelled and deepfakes must be visibly disclosed. Fines reach €15 million or 3% of turnover. The rule also applies to creators outside the EU who target EU audiences.