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Piers Morgan has moved from print to TV to streaming. Now he’s betting big on YouTube.
Morgan, 61, thinks traditional media will be “dead within 10 years maximum.” He also revealed that he’s close to closing an investment round that values his independent media company Uncensored at about $130 million, during a panel moderated by Kaya at the Podcast Show in London last week.
That prediction is particularly surprising given Morgan’s background.
He started in print journalism in the UK in the late 1980s, later landing his own show on CNN. In 2022, he launched a linear TV interview show “Piers Morgan Uncensored” for UK-based FAST channel TalkTV. While the show struggled to bring in TV viewers, episodes on its corresponding YouTube channel racked up millions of views.
Morgan left the FAST channel last year, but worked out a deal to keep the YouTube account. The show is also available across podcasting platforms. In March, he hired Rashida Jones, the former president of MSNBC, to be Uncensored’s CEO, a high-profile hire that reflects the company’s ambitions.
Why focus on YouTube? Morgan cites his four kids, who range in age from 14 to 32. “This is the new world,” he said. “None of them watch television.”
Even so, Morgan bristled when Kaya referred to him as a podcaster: “I’m a what?” he quipped. “I’m a globally renowned broadcaster and journalist.” The response reflects the stigma that new media and creators still carry even as attention and revenue shift in their direction.
In five years, Morgan wants his company to be worth $1 billion, he said. It’s an ambitious goal—even for someone who has managed to stay relevant throughout major shifts in the media industry.
To grow the company, Morgan plans to expand the “Uncensored” brand into other topics with other creators as hosts, such as history, true crime and maybe even sports. Morgan said he’d “test the waters” with a World Cup-focused show.
But expanding beyond one high-profile show or individual has proven difficult for creator-led networks. Alex Cooper’s Unwell, for example, has struggled to produce a hit beyond her flagship podcast “Call Her Daddy.” The Daily Wire, which is best known for “The Ben Shapiro Show,” is currently facing turmoil.
Kaya moderates a panel with Max Cutler and Piers Morgan at The Podcast Show in London last week. Photo: Will Wretham
Max Cutler, who joined Morgan on stage for the discussion, said that creator-founded companies often have struggled to scale because the founder “eventually competes with the very talent they’re trying to elevate.”
Cutler is the founder of PAVE Studios, which works with celebrities including Khloé Kardashian and podcasters like Morgan Absher to build video shows. (He does not have his own show.)
Creator-founded networks also don’t have the infrastructure or expertise of more traditional media companies, even as they bring on seasoned executives to bolster their operations. Vox Media, for example, recently sold its podcast network, which includes a roster of shows from top hosts like Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway, and other parts of its business for a reported $300 million last week.
When asked about the challenges of building out a successful network, Morgan said it will require patience, especially on YouTube where you have to “get the algorithm used to what you’re doing.”
In other news…
The Round Up
Meta released a standalone app for Facebook Groups called Forum, where users can ask for opinions, advice and recommendations like they do on Reddit. The move may seem odd given that Reddit is far smaller and poses little threat to Meta’s core business. But Reddit does have one edge on Meta: It’s become one of the most-cited sources by AI chatbots. Meta wants to replicate the conversations people are having on Reddit in order to improve its own AI tools. Reddit’s stock fell on Friday after the news broke.
Universal Music announced new licensing deals with TikTok and Spotify. As part of the Spotify agreement, the music streaming service will roll out a new tool allowing fans to create AI covers and remixes of songs from certain UMG artists and songwriters. This is sure to irk some UMG artists, just as Spotify’s announcement last week allowing users to create AI-generated podcasts irked creators.
Netflix will livestream “The Breakfast Club” every weekday starting on June 1. iHeartMedia’s popular morning show podcast is co-hosted by Charlamagne Tha God, DJ Envy and Jess Hilarious. It’s the latest example of Netflix dabbling with live programming as competition with YouTube, which recently released a slate of exclusive creator shows, continues to heat up.
Startup Spotlight
Clouted, a startup with a network of more than 100,000 clippers who splice up podcasts and other content, raised $7 million in seed funding led by Slow Ventures. Clouted says it uses AI to identify the best social media platform and audience for promoting the clips. Read more about the rise of paid clipping here.
Make Believe, an AI media lab focused on interactive video, launched last week. The startup, led by former YouTube executive Ben Relles, is focused on creating tech that enables videos that can talk back to viewers.
ElevenLabs, an AI voice startup, announced that creators on its platform have earned $22 million, up from $11 million six months ago. Its voice marketplace allows voice actors and other creators to license AI clones of their voices for audiobooks, commercials or other uses.
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Regulatory Woes
Meta settled a lawsuit alleging addiction to Instagram and other social media apps has disrupted learning and pushed public schools to spend large sums to fight a mental health crisis, Bloomberg reported. Snap and YouTube also recently settled before trial.
Billionaire Tom Steyer’s California gubernatorial campaign has paid thousands of dollars to influencers, some of whom did not disclose the payouts, the Washington Post reported. The situation has prompted a state investigation into “potential violations of the advertisement disclaimer provisions of the Political Reform Act,” according to the Post.
TikTok and YouTube aren’t safe enough for children, according to a new report from UK regulator Ofcom. In response to the BBC, TikTok and YouTube pointed to safety features aimed at young people on their apps, such as DM restrictions and time limits.
Creator Moves
Alison Roman, a chef with about 800,000 Instagram followers, will open a grocery store and coffee shop called First Bloom Brooklyn this fall in Brooklyn.
NYC mayor Zohran Mamdani launched a chat show on Twitch called “Talk with the People,” where he’ll answer questions live from New Yorkers. Read more about what’s behind livestreaming’s resurgence here and here.
Theorist, a digital production studio, launched a fan membership called TheoryVerse developed with membership platform Uscreen. It includes ad-free episodes, exclusive programming and other perks across free and paid tiers, which cost $6 or $12 per month.
Alix Earle vlogged her trip to Microsoft’s headquarters in Seattle, which included a tour of the campus. Earle has been working with Microsoft to promote its AI features.
