Link: YouTube is a hit on TVs — and is starting to act like it

YouTube's viewership on TV is expanding, with a 30% increase in sports content watch time year over year, and over 400 million hours of podcasts watched monthly. This growth makes the living room YouTube's fastest-growing platform.

Alphabet’s Philipp Schindler highlighted the strength in both Shorts and living room viewership during the company’s recent earnings call. YouTube's upgrades include syncing phones to TVs for a seamless viewing and interactivity experience.

The platform has reengineered the TV interface for easier access to comments and channels while watching videos. It also introduced 'Watch With,' allowing creators to add live commentary to sports broadcasts.

YouTube is increasingly focusing on the living room to become a premium streaming service, without losing its core creator-centric approach. Creators now face the challenge of adapting content for TV-focused viewers who often use their television as a background noise source.

Wilms of YouTube believes the platform can maintain its essence across devices, aiming to integrate YouTube's full experience into TV viewing without overwhelming creators. The company envisions a future where it can be both intensely interactive and a casual viewing choice.

YouTube's strategy involves accommodating both active watchers and passive listeners, expanding its influence across the entertainment spectrum. This approach might make YouTube even more dominant in the digital space. #

--

Yoooo, this is a quick note on a link that made me go, WTF? Find all past links here.