YouTube is coming for the living room #AfricaTechFestival2024
What value do you get from coming to Africa Tech Festival, and how has your experience been this year?
It was a fantastic experience. We arrived early, giving us some time to explore outside the conference and visited local townships to understand infrastructure challenges and learn about consumer entertainment habits. Having both formal and informal interactions has enriched my understanding of South Africa’s unique media landscape.
Can you describe your role at YouTube?
My team and I work on partnerships that cover everything from sales and marketing to distribution and licensing. We collaborate with telcos, device manufacturers, media companies, and data providers.
Recently, we’ve been focusing heavily on living room streaming and subscription products – two areas that our CEO has identified as priorities.
Creators are having challenges with copyright when it comes to legacy publishers, especially around sports content. What’s your view on the tension between new and old media?
Copyright in sports is one of the most complex issues we deal with, and it varies by region. Globally, YouTube enforces copyright protections and works with content owners to prevent piracy, protect intellectual property, and uphold trust and safety standards.
However, as you mentioned, there’s a demand in the African market for a more flexible approach to sharing and discussing content, like local sports, where creators want to use highlights and add commentary.
We act as a mediator between creators and media companies, helping the latter understand that relaxing certain restrictions could increase views and engagement. For example, we have data showing that sports content often drives large viewership on YouTube, especially when paired with community commentary.
We encourage media companies to explore ways to allow creator commentary as it benefits everyone.
But more eyeballs on YouTube is probably one of your KPIs, so how does YouTube’s relationship with traditional publishers shape its copyright approach when the incentive is to grow the platform audience?
YouTube’s relationships with legacy publishers are multifaceted. On one hand, we distribute their content, giving it an additional platform, while on the other, we support emerging creators who may use snippets of that same content to generate commentary or analysis.
For traditional publishers, copyright is crucial, and they’re protective of it. However, we also show them the benefits of allowing more flexible use of their content on YouTube, where fans are eager to engage.
In the US, for instance, we’ve seen sports leagues embrace a more collaborative approach, offering live streams with creator commentary. If media companies in Africa adopt similar strategies, it could drive more local engagement.
Is YouTube considering expanding live content offerings?
Absolutely. Live content is a major focus, as it creates unique engagement opportunities. In fact, YouTube TV in the US already supports parallel live streams where creators can comment in real-time alongside live events.
Bringing this capability to South Africa and other regions could be game-changing.
We’re looking into “squeeze box” formats, where a live feed and creator commentary coexist on the same screen. It’s an interactive, engaging setup that we’re gradually rolling out to markets with significant demand for live content.
What innovations are you working on to enhance the YouTube experience in Africa?
The biggest request has been for more localised content on living room screens. Right now, YouTube’s mobile and PC experiences are well-established, but there’s demand for a more personalised TV experience.
We’re developing API-based solutions that let users see content tailored to their region or interests on their home screens, without even opening the app.
YouTube’s real advantage is its constantly refreshed content, which stands out from services like Netflix that launch new content quarterly. Localised and diverse daily content is what we believe will keep users engaged in South Africa.
More innovation in the living room will take a lot of pressure off of households where there aren’t multiple digital devices, but what is YouTube doing to make the experience better and safer for children?
Trust and safety are fundamental for us. We have large teams dedicated to content moderation, with advanced protections in place for younger audiences.
YouTube Kids, for instance, offers a secure environment with age-appropriate content and ads.
We advise parents to use tools like YouTube Premium and manage viewing time closely. Beyond that, YouTube is constantly monitoring harmful content and encourages parents to report inappropriate material.
What’s next for YouTube Shorts in South Africa, is it something brands and creators should invest energy into?
Shorts was developed as a response to the rising popularity of short-form video on other platforms, and it’s been a massive success. In South Africa, we’ve seen living room watch time grow by over 120% year-over-year, which tells us that users here want a variety of content formats.
Being able to offer Shorts, long-form videos, podcasts, and now live content on a single platform differentiates us. Our aim is to give creators and audiences a one-stop experience for diverse content.
But isn’t growing the platform’s content format offering putting more and more pressure on creators?
We understand that creating high-quality content can be a big ask, especially for emerging creators. YouTube offers tools to help them produce content efficiently, and our partner managers are there to support creators in making content that can succeed on the platform.
The goal is to empower creators to thrive without excessive overhead, whether they're producing Shorts, long-form videos, or live content.
YouTube Podcasts have now merged with YouTube Music. How has this cluttering been received by the market?
The move aligns with our vision of a one-stop platform. Though it adds a layer of complexity for some users, it ultimately allows creators to reach wider audiences and leverage more monetisation opportunities within a unified environment.
We monitor user feedback closely, and if adjustments are needed, we’ll take them into consideration.
YouTube is evolving into the apex predator of online media, what are your thoughts on the added responsibility that comes along with that?
YouTube’s strength is its adaptability across formats and regions. By fostering relationships with both legacy publishers and emerging creators, we’re striving to deliver value to all stakeholders.
Innovation and hyper-localisation remain top priorities, and we’re excited about what the future holds for creators in South Africa and beyond.
