I Need Some Advice

[Guphanti]

Hello,

I have never been with an MCN before. I have almost 70,000 subscribers, have been approached with more offers than I can remember, and have always ended up turning them down. My channel is doing as well as its ever done right now, and things are good (knock on wood). Recently, I was approached with a very serious offer from a big network. Even now, I find myself on the fence. This whole "your channel gets rolled up into their CMS" business is shady, and I hate lock-ins. Negotiations are going well, but still, I am reluctant to pull the trigger. On one side, I feel like I am shooting myself in the foot by not going with a network, since all the big names go with networks, and I know they can provide me with great resources. On the other side, I have this fear, irrational or not, that I could lose it all as a result of partnering.

The number one thing that makes me want to join a network is protection from copyright, and YouTube policy nonsense. I am not saying I violate anything, but we are all familiar with bogus claims, glitches, and the fact YouTube has no real support. Networks seem like protection from these things.

But then I think of the top tier YouTubers who are not with networks. How do they manage copyright? How do they get their problems solved with nobody on the inside?

I guess I just need some advice.

Thanks.

 

[AlexGotBeats]

The only reason i joined a network was to be able to receive payments through paypal as direct deposit is not available for me. If that wasn't an issue for me i would never join a network and just be happy with adsense because i know i don't break any rules or violate copyrights i don't have to worry about any of that. Networks don't promote anything you do or help in any other way its a myth they sell. Thats my opinion. Even though 70k subscribers is impressive i think you need more to have that kind of relationship with youtube and have direct contact with them.

 

[CousinEd]

I was approached with a very serious offer from a big network.

BBTV?

On the other side, I have this fear, irrational or not, that I could lose it all as a result of partnering.

Send the final contract to your lawyer.

The number one thing that makes me want to join a network is protection from copyright

They may provide you with assistance, not protection. Unless you're managed which I highly doubt.

YouTube policy nonsense. I am not saying I violate anything, but we are all familiar with bogus claims, glitches

There is nothing wrong with YouTube's policy. Bogus claims can be solved on your own. Never experienced any glitches.

But then I think of the top tier YouTubers who are not with networks. How do they manage copyright? How do they get their problems solved with nobody on the inside?

As I said before, bogus claims can be solved on your own, but it may take a while. MCN's may speed up the removal process, especially if you have a dedicated partner manager.
What is your channel about if you're so worried about copyright?

 

[Lightsen]

Hey, im in a similar sub range to you, and i have always turned down networks,
as long as your content is not going to be experiencing claims regularly, you will be fine on your own.
after getting a certain number of views a week, you will have a direct line of contact with youtube, i've had them personally answer my emails within the hour.

i have been worried about copyright before, but considering all my visuals are hand drawn, and my music custom produced, i think I'm safe from any accidental red flags.
I would definitely make sure you get anything they offer you down in an email, in the contract, or in some way that you can screenshot it if there are problems in future.
The shady networks love to 'skype call' you so they can tell you everything verbally, and go back on their words that you will have no physical proof of.
bear this in mind

 

[Guphanti]

...after getting a certain number of views a week, you will have a direct line of contact with youtube, i've had them personally answer my emails within the hour.

This is what I want to know more about. I know this exists, is it a partner manager? I had a partner manager for about a month, and then the guy quit YouTube. Are you talking about regular support via email? Did you have to ask for that or did they contact you?

Thanks.

 

[Lightsen]

This is what I want to know more about. I know this exists, is it a partner manager? I had a partner manager for about a month, and then the guy quit YouTube. Are you talking about regular support via email? Did you have to ask for that or did they contact you?

Thanks.

nah its just regular emails, i wish i could find the notification i got that explained it cause I can't find any info on it online anywhere :s

I don't know for sure, but I think it just priorities your emails I imagine that's how it works.

 

[Guphanti]

BBTV?

Send the final contract to your lawyer.

They may provide you with assistance, not protection. Unless you're managed which I highly doubt.

There is nothing wrong with YouTube's policy. Bogus claims can be solved on your own. Never experienced any glitches.

As I said before, bogus claims can be solved on your own, but it may take a while. MCN's may speed up the removal process, especially if you have a dedicated partner manager.
What is your channel about if you're so worried about copyright?

Yes it is BBTV. How did you guess? Are they no good?

Yes I will be having a lawyer review it, to answer that point.

I'll give some examples with regard to the policy problems. A few years ago, there was this website that offered royalty free music that was supposedly 100% free and they said you can use it in monetized videos and all that. Then a couple years later, one day, they just decided to put all there music into Content ID. I got claims on some videos, and I disputed, citing the licensing agreement which I had saved. The released 2 claims, but rejected 2 others. It got to the point where I had a choice between risking a copyright strike to keep disputing, or just delete the videos. Of course, these people had no contact phone number and neither does YouTube.

Another example: A few weeks ago, one of my more popular videos kept going from monetized to under review and back every few hours. I contacted YouTube, they don't know why, all I got was a form letter in response. I asked on the YouTube forums. Nobody knows. Just more form letters. This went on for days until eventually it got un-stuck and started working.

My channel is a gaming channel, and I've gotten good at dodging copyright, removing cutscenes, knowing what to edit out. Still, copyright issues aside, if something were to go wrong, there really isn't anyone to help. That's what attracts me to networks. I'm just not sure whether this a correct understanding or not.

 

[CousinEd]

Yes it is BBTV. How did you guess? Are they no good?

I have no personal experience with them but from what I read, they offer a large sign-up bonus, good split, and other goodies. You may want to use the search button for more information.

I'll give some examples with regard to the policy problems. A few years ago, there was this website that offered royalty free music that was supposedly 100% free and they said you can use it in monetized videos and all that. Then a couple years later, one day, they just decided to put all there music into Content ID. I got claims on some videos, and I disputed, citing the licensing agreement which I had saved. The released 2 claims, but rejected 2 others. It got to the point where I had a choice between risking a copyright strike to keep disputing, or just delete the videos. Of course, these people had no contact phone number and neither does YouTube.

Another example: A few weeks ago, one of my more popular videos kept going from monetized to under review and back every few hours. I contacted YouTube, they don't know why, all I got was a form letter in response. I asked on the YouTube forums. Nobody knows. Just more form letters. This went on for days until eventually it got un-stuck and started working.

I can't really help you with music issues because I never had any. I usually use CC music or pay for the license. You can read this for more explanation on royalty free music: "http:// yttalk. com/threads/is-copyright-free-music-really-copyright-free.216504/#post-1943033"

My channel is a gaming channel, and I've gotten good at dodging copyright, removing cutscenes, knowing what to edit out. Still, copyright issues aside, if something were to go wrong, there really isn't anyone to help. That's what attracts me to networks. I'm just not sure whether this a correct understanding or not.

Even large channels under MCN's can be suddenly deleted for no apparent reason whatsoever. Like recently happened with "I hate everything" /watch?v=QH-8PqS84qA Just keep doing what you have been doing and hope that everything will be ok.

 

[Guphanti]

...Even large channels under MCN's can be suddenly deleted for no apparent reason whatsoever. Like recently happened with "I hate everything" /watch?v=QH-8PqS84qA Just keep doing what you have been doing and hope that everything will be ok.

Using your example of the "I Hate Everything" channel, if a video was to get taken down for community guidelines for no reason (which is what happened in his case) and I was partnered with a network, how would they help fix that? Can they?[DOUBLEPOST=1465756547,1465743415][/DOUBLEPOST]I watched IHE's video again and he mentioned contacting his network about the issue, but it's unclear if they resolved it. The whole thing is unclear. Especially the part where he showed all the sexual content (pranks) allowed on some YouTube channels because some channels are protected, whether it's by YouTube or through their network, that much remains unclear to me.