Report Highlights YouTube Content Spend

This year, YouTube’s content spend, at almost $20 billion, will top that of any other VOD-first player, according to a new Ampere Analysis report.

In 2024, YouTube will rank as the second-largest investor in non-sports content globally, just behind Disney, Ampere reports. Overall, when including platforms’ sports rights spending, YouTube’s total content expenditure has been the third largest globally for four consecutive years. Disney and Comcast, which are ahead of YouTube in content investments, are expected to spend more than $9 billion on sports rights this year.

YouTube is expected to rake in $35 billion in ad revenues in 2024, exceeding Disney+ and Prime Video’s total earnings and just behind Netflix’s total revenues.

The platform remains the leader in online viewing—83 percent of all respondents to the Ampere Media-Consumer survey were monthly active users in Q1, well ahead of Netflix’s 57 percent and Instagram’s 43 percent—while continuing to focus on user-generated content rather than commissioned fare.

Jaanika Juntson, senior analyst at Ampere Analysis, : “Despite limited relicensing opportunities on other platforms, YouTube continues to invest significantly in content through revenue sharing with content creators, and has secured the second highest spot for non-sports content spend globally. YouTube’s unique business model sets the platform apart in the media market yet it plays a key role in the entertainment sector.”