How to become mcn in 2019?

Turkuazz

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Friends I'm wondering how to become multi channel network?
 

ytboy1997

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I made a little research, because I'm interested in making a MCN too.

1. I want to give a little information before everything else:
Multi Channel Network (MCN): Bigger corporate establishment which have thousands of channels under it's umbrella.
Virtual Networks: While MCNs take care of serious stuff like partner payout management, bringing in newer revenue streams etc; Virtual Networks or Subnetworks come under the MCNs and usually manage the front end processes like scouting for new talent and helping them in optimizing their YouTube channels.
(About virtual networks [Subnetworks] I've read that they are some kind of illegal, but i'm not sure, so if someone who knows more about them, please reply to the thread).
Content Aggregators: These are the smallest type of YouTube networks either under an MCN directly or through a sub network. They usually aggregate similar content creators and sometimes help them in production, editing etc.
(For content aggregators I don't know how the things are happening, and have some questions like: Are they managing Content ID or not? And in detailed information if someone can explain, what's the whole job of them?)

2. You need a partner manager. The question here is how to become a partner manager.
I looked over the web archive (here) and found the requirements from March 2019:
- You must be in the Youtube Partner Program and your channel complies with the YT PP Policies
- You must have at least 100 000 subscribers and 400 000 watch hours in the previous 12 months.
- You musn't have community guideline strikes and you musn't have more than 1 copyright strike in your channel's history (Note: If you don't have strikes and your channel is in good health, this is a plus for you!)
- Your content adheres to the Advertiser-friendly guidelines
- If you have contract with a MCN you can still sign up which is good
- Your country must be supported (Here's a link which the countries supported) https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6361049

3. If you succeed with the Partner Manager Application - good, if not, then try next time. For 2019 Partner Manager Applications are on March 2019 and the next one is in September 2019.
So, Let's say you are a partner manager now and you're the only one who manages everything, so in this case you have to make an aggressive business plan and strategy. When you make this plan as Partner Manager you have to start your application process for MCN.
I'm gonna stop here and make a little spoiler.

I have read some articles but they were a little old, in some of them is written that you (The Partner Manager) have to write to youtube support so you can start the application process, so I'm not sure how this process is happening because i haven't seen an MCN Application Form, so if someone who knows more about this, please give a reply to this thread.

4. Let's say you have a MCN already and now what's next?

This is all i can write for now, so my questions about p.4 are:
When you have access to MCN Dashboard, do you have to apply for Content ID or you have it already, because you are MCN?
If someone wants to join, how can I review it's channel? Do I have to require channel login data , or what?
I read somewhere that an MCN can add up to 20 channels per calendar year, is that true?
How can I add content ID assets to the Content ID database?

And the bigger question is what happens next after all these?

If someone who knows more about the topic is reading, please give us a light. If you have experience as a MCN, please also share a little with us.
 

Turkuazz

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I'm still looking.Does anyone have information?
Can i become multi channel network in youtube or not?
 

Jeff

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Are virtual networks still allowed?
As mentioned before, nope. 2016 saw the demise of all sub-networks/virtual networks. Even branded content owners (CO's) had to change. Illuminata Media's branded CO's had to put they were now part of "Illuminata Media" on their websites and branding, from what I can tell. If you look at RecStudios's website (one of Illuminata's networks), you can see they promote heavily that they are part of Illuminata (recstudios.tv). YouTube, as they state in their policy, seriously wanted to put a stop to creator confusion. This is why I doubt that Illuminata/Zoomin.TV (or anyone else) is offering the branded CO program nowadays. Same story with ScaleLab changing their VouStudios CO into ScaleLab Gaming. Getting a branded CO used to be the "easy way" to get an "MCN", but it seems as if YouTube did away with that with the banning of sub-networks.

I'm still looking.Does anyone have information?
Can i become multi channel network in youtube or not?
It's possible but very unlikely. MCN's are more or less a dying industry at this point (existing MCNs have attempted to branch out from just offering "YouTube Partnerships" and shifted their focus to talent management and brands), but creating an MCN is difficult now more than ever. Also, YouTube is policing its existing MCNs with an iron fist more recently. From my point of view, YouTube is trying to crowd out MCNs from the platform.

After some digging, here are some of the MCN application questions that Google asks for reference:


This is from 2014. I'm sure Google has upped the requirements since then if they are indeed accepting new applications, but this gives you an idea of what they're looking for. Your best bet would be to get in contact with a Strategic Partner Manager (SPM) at YouTube and ask about the requirements and process. Do note that it is increasingly difficult to do so, as you need to establish a relationship prior (in addition to them also being assigned to existing MCNs).

I'm not really involved or keep up with YouTube anymore, but from what I've seen and how YouTube is policing MCNs, they don't seem to be encouraging the MCN program at this point. By all means, feel free to try, just I doubt MCNs have a future on YouTube nowadays. As I've said before, existing MCNs are trying to branch out from offering strictly YouTube Partnerships, since it's an old and outdated model. Cheers.
 
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Turkuazz

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As mentioned before, nope. 2016 saw the demise of all sub-networks/virtual networks. Even branded content owners (CO's) had to change. Illuminata Media's branded CO's had to put they were now part of "Illuminata Media" on their websites and branding, from what I can tell. If you look at RecStudios's website (one of Illuminata's networks), you can see they promote heavily that they are part of Illuminata (recstudios.tv). YouTube, as they state in their policy, seriously wanted to put a stop to creator confusion. This is why I doubt that Illuminata/Zoomin.TV (or anyone else) is offering the branded CO program nowadays. Same story with ScaleLab changing their VouStudios CO into ScaleLab Gaming. Getting a branded CO used to be the "easy way" to get an "MCN", but it seems as if YouTube did away with that with the banning of sub-networks.



It's possible but very unlikely. MCN's are more or less a dying industry at this point (existing MCNs have attempted to branch out from just offering "YouTube Partnerships" and shifted their focus to talent management and brands), but creating an MCN is difficult now more than ever. Also, YouTube is policing its existing MCNs with an iron fist more recently. From my point of view, YouTube is trying to crowd out MCNs from the platform.

After some digging, here are some of the MCN application questions that Google asks for reference:


This is from 2014. I'm sure Google has upped the requirements since then if they are indeed accepting new applications, but this gives you an idea of what they're looking for. Your best bet would be to get in contact with a Strategic Partner Manager (SPM) at YouTube and ask about the requirements and process. Do note that it is increasingly difficult to do so, as you need to establish a relationship prior (in addition to them also being assigned to existing MCNs).

I'm not really involved or keep up with YouTube anymore, but from what I've seen and how YouTube is policing MCNs, they don't seem to be encouraging the MCN program at this point. By all means, feel free to try, just I doubt MCNs have a future on YouTube nowadays. As I've said before, existing MCNs are trying to branch out from offering strictly YouTube Partnerships, since it's an old and outdated model. Cheers.
Thank you but i need help.
1)Where did you find that questions( mcn questions)
2)Somenone told me i spoke with a youtube partner manager.He told me after this time anyone won't become MCN.This information right or wrong.Can you help me?
 

Jeff

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Thank you but i need help.
1)Where did you find that questions( mcn questions)
2)Somenone told me i spoke with a youtube partner manager.He told me after this time anyone won't become MCN.This information right or wrong. Can you help me?
1) I used to own a network and worked for several MCNs as a network manager in the past. In 2014, a business partner reached out to a YouTube Partner Manager and asked about the MCN application process and was sent the questions in the screenshot by the Partner Manager in my previous post. As I said previously, it can be used as a reference point.

2) I don't know for sure, as I don't keep up with the YouTube scene anymore, but it doesn't sound too far from the truth. As I stated before, the MCN model isn't a thriving nor fruitful business anymore. YouTube has been showing signs of trying to crowd out MCNs from the platform (via policy changes, becoming stricter on MCNs, forcing MCNs to cut down the number of partners in their network, allowing partners to unlink without the MCNs approval, removing copyright immunity from Managed CMS partners, making ContentID available to creators without an MCN, etc...). Thus, one could conclude that Google isn't too interested in accepting new MCN applications.

To be honest, many of the existing MCNs on YouTube don't want to promote themselves as "MCNs" anymore and have expanded into offering other services. For example, If you look at Fullscreen or BroadBandTV (BBTV), they stopped branding themselves as solely "MCNs" because that term carries a lot of bad press and the entire model of MCNs has become obsolete. Fullscreen and BBTV now focus their attention on talent management, influencers and brands/advertising. Nowadays, MCNs aren't needed nor offer anything that a creator can't attain on their own.

From my point of view, you're better off attempting to venture into other projects than YouTube MCNs. Creators aren't, if you will, "thirsty" for MCNs nowadays, as there's been so much negative press surrounding them and YouTube started offering features that used to be MCN-exclusive to non-MCN channels. That's just my two cents on the matter. Best of luck, cheers.
 

Turkuazz

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1) I used to own a network and worked for several MCNs as a network manager in the past. In 2014, a business partner reached out to a YouTube Partner Manager and asked about the MCN application process and was sent the questions in the screenshot by the Partner Manager in my previous post. As I said previously, it can be used as a reference point.

2) I don't know for sure, as I don't keep up with the YouTube scene anymore, but it doesn't sound too far from the truth. As I stated before, the MCN model isn't a thriving nor fruitful business anymore. YouTube has been showing signs of trying to crowd out MCNs from the platform (via policy changes, becoming stricter on MCNs, forcing MCNs to cut down the number of partners in their network, allowing partners to unlink without the MCNs approval, removing copyright immunity from Managed CMS partners, making ContentID available to creators without an MCN, etc...). Thus, one could conclude that Google isn't too interested in accepting new MCN applications.

To be honest, many of the existing MCNs on YouTube don't want to promote themselves as "MCNs" anymore and have expanded into offering other services. For example, If you look at Fullscreen or BroadBandTV (BBTV), they stopped branding themselves as solely "MCNs" because that term carries a lot of bad press and the entire model of MCNs has become obsolete. Fullscreen and BBTV now focus their attention on talent management, influencers and brands/advertising. Nowadays, MCNs aren't needed nor offer anything that a creator can't attain on their own.

From my point of view, you're better off attempting to venture into other projects than YouTube MCNs. Creators aren't, if you will, "thirsty" for MCNs nowadays, as there's been so much negative press surrounding them and YouTube started offering features that used to be MCN-exclusive to non-MCN channels. That's just my two cents on the matter. Best of luck, cheers.
Thank you i partially agree with you.But become an mcn is my dream.I'm afraid of this:
Someone told me i met with the partner manager.He told me after that nobody will be mcn. I said him this information was given to you by the youtube partner manager.He told me yes.This information right or wrong?Do you have any information?
 

markkaz

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Thank you i partially agree with you.But become an mcn is my dream.I'm afraid of this:
Someone told me i met with the partner manager.He told me after that nobody will be mcn. I said him this information was given to you by the youtube partner manager.He told me yes.This information right or wrong?Do you have any information?
The above post from Jeff was very informational. I encourage you to develop new dreams. Your time as well as others would be better spent on new topics/ventures.
 
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