Following DreamWorks's acquisition of YouTube network AwesomenessTV, Hearst just bought a 25% stake, clearly gunning for online video monetization.
Once just a place were people could upload vlogs and cat videos in their free time, YouTube has become not just an Internet community of content creators, but a business platform. With YouTubers like Tyler Oakley, Grace Helbig, Zoe Sugg and others leveraging their millions of viewers into a lucrative career, the social media channel has been a focus for advertising revenue for a while.
Currently AwesomenessTV's online video monetization works through advertisers and other media companies. Sponsorship deals are also extremely common in this world. Noticing this channel's potential, companies like Hearst Corp. and DreamWorks Animation see a subscription business in the future.