With greater than 2 million subscribers and a loyal fanbase that spanned from the early 2010s to now, many individuals is likely to be questioning why Watcher is leaving YouTube. The leisure media firm made a stunning transfer on Friday, April 19, 2024, which shocked and angered longtime followers.
Watcher Leisure was based by Buzzfeed Video alumni Steven Lim, Ryan Bergara, and Shane Madej. The three had very profitable video sequence at their time at Buzzfeed— with Bergara and Madej spearheading the true crime and paranormal sequence Unsolved, whereas Lim partnered with fellow Buzzfeed creators Andrew Ilnyckyj and Adam Bianchi for the sequence Value It. Each sequence garnered greater than 2 billion views complete. The three stop their full-time jobs as workers at Buzzfeed and have been contractors on their respective reveals.
On the similar time, they introduced that they might begin their very own leisure firm in January 2020. Shane Madej mentioned, “Madej, “Our objective is to supply a very well-rounded leisure expertise that speaks to new and present followers alike.” Their content material was much like what that they had at BuzzFeed. Madej and Bergara began their very own paranormal investigations with Ghost Recordsdata and Lim continued his meals sequence with reveals like Dish Granted.
On April 19, Watcher made a video saying that they might be leaving YouTube and could be posting their movies on their very own streaming platform. Full seasons of latest reveals will likely be accessible solely on a brand new streaming service (watchertv.com) — priced at $5.99/month or $59.99/12 months. Nevertheless, Watcher followers have been fast to name the creators out about how they have been finishing up their plan.
Why was Watcher leaving YouTube within the first place?
Watcher was leaving YouTube as a result of increasing their employees and creating high quality content material for his or her viewers. “When it comes to the place this firm goes and the place I consider we could be most profitable, YouTube is not the place for that,” says Lim within the video titled “Goodbye Youtube.”
“From the very begin of Watcher, our objective was to make television-quality unscripted content material, and whereas YouTube helped us begin that journey, the one method we are able to absolutely understand that imaginative and prescient is to do it on our personal platform,” Bergara mentioned. “So whereas it’s scary to depart a spot that has been an incredible dwelling to us, we all know that this can be a threat value taking, identical to leaving BuzzFeed was again in 2019.”
He additionally identified that fifty% of their enterprise comes from promoting. “We’re making one thing for 2 audiences — we’re making it for followers, all of you on the market, and we’re additionally making it to please the advertisers. It’s tough to make the stuff that we need to make and likewise then enchantment to the advertisers as nicely.”
Bergara mentioned, “We actually couldn’t be extra excited for you guys to affix us on this subsequent chapter — hopefully. We’d love for you guys to return alongside for us. However on the similar time, that is our last goodbye to YouTube. And if it’s our goodbye to you — I hope it’s not, however whether it is — I do need to say ‘thanks’ for supporting us all alongside the best way.”
Why have been followers mad that Watcher is leaving YouTube?
Followers took to the video’s feedback and social media to precise their anger at Watcher’s choice. One fan mentioned, “gonna be trustworthy, I’ve been watching Ryan and Shane for the reason that starting of Buzzfeed days. I’ve watched them weekly for YEARS now, however I can’t justify paying for one more streaming platform only for Watcher reveals. that is actually unhappy 🙁 assume you’re gonna lose loads of your viewers tbh.”
“With actually one Youtube ballot this complete factor may’ve been prevented” YouTube consumer @chloehepperle5886 commented. One other identified how they couldn’t afford one other streaming platform in a foreign country @zarishhassan5286 wrote, “You guys do realise you’ve a world viewers too proper? How am i speculated to pay for six {dollars} for a service when after i alter it to my foreign money it’s greater than the price of groceries? Your American viewers can barely afford it, how will your worldwide viewers afford it in any respect? Did a single crucial thought truly go into the choice or did you assume your total viewers was American or one thing?”
How did Watcher reply to fan backlash?
Watcher posted a response video on April 22, 2024 titled “An Replace.” “We tousled. A number of you got here ahead with extraordinarily legitimate feedback and considerations,” Lim mentioned. “We’ve been studying the stuff you’re saying and we’re sorry for the best way we dealt with this,” Madej continued. “We perceive the place you’re coming from and we’re making instant modifications. ”
Bergara affirmed that their followers are the rationale why they make their very own content material and have been extremely grateful for them. “We’re sorry for a way we initially delivered our goodbye to YouTube. We have been insensitive,” he mentioned. “We did a foul job of explaining the reasoning behind this transition.”
“We didn’t need to compromise our content material to make sure they met promoting necessities,” Bergara continued. “And we undoubtedly didn’t need to lay individuals off which have introduced Watcher to life behind the scenes. And we didn’t need to convey Watcher to a detailed, which might have occurred if we stayed solely on YouTube.”
“That’s why we determined to launch the platform in order that we as an organization may proceed, we may pay our employees pretty, and never solely proceed to make nice content material for you however develop with new reveals, new voices, all ad-free,” Madej defined.
Watcher defined their compromise the place they might publish movies on YouTube a month after it has premiered on the Watcher platform. The trio additionally defined that individuals who have subscribed to the brand new streaming platform will also be absolutely refunded in the event that they select to take action.