YouTube TV now has 8 million subscribers, according to new data released by the streaming service.
Available only in the United States, the figure is three million more than the last subscriber number reported in mid-2022, and makes YouTube TV the largest subscription TV service by a distance.
Disney’s Hulu + Live TV, reported 4.6 million customers as of the end of Q3, followed by Dish’s Sling TV om 2.1 million and Fubo (1.5 million).
In a blog post, YouTube’s chief executive officer Neal Mohan also said there were 100 million Music and Premium subscribers, including trials.
Mohan listed his 4 ‘big bets’ for 2024, this included the company’s position on generative AI, saying that YouTube “has spent years tackling complex content challenges from monetization to rights management to protecting our community.” He added that AI should empower human creativity, not replace it, saying that YouTube’s Music AI Incubator was helping the creative process.
The creators themselves should be recognized as next-generation studios. Mohan said the storytelling meant the content can’t be dismissed as simply “user-generated content.”
“This year, we’ll help policymakers and partners across the industry see the economic and entertainment value that creators bring to the table,” he said. “Being a creator is a full time job with an international audience, but most governments don’t account for creators in their labor data. We believe creators should be recognized for their work and creators at the top of their game should be acknowledged in key industry forums.”
Pointing to the increased subscriber numbers, Mohan said viewers want “everything in one place” – a familiar refrain from platforms across the world – but Mohan’s take is that viewers are now watching YouTube in the way families used to view linear TV. “Viewers globally now watch more than 1 billion hours on average of YouTube content on their TVs every day. According to Nielsen’s report on streaming in the U.S., YouTube was the leader in streaming watchtime for the past 11 months.”
Mohan again returned to the theme of supporting creators and the creator economy, which he said was good for business. He said it was responsible to create a healthy environment for kids and ensure people were connected through “high quality information”.
