Frenemy Report: Watch the Throne

All eyes on the throne: Twitter and Facebook got to testify before Congress today -- here are five takeaways. Across the pond it's a similar tale- UK media giants are calling for improved oversight of Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.  In the midst of this, Amazon is aggressively pushing into entertainment.So, how do these giants care for creators? Facebook says the launch of World Wide Watch includes its Creator Studio, and that their focus on "building communities around videos" will set them apart. YouTube appeals to Gen Zers by making it easy to give back.Can creators take control? KSI and Logan Paul throw punches at a new kind of Pay Per View. But others struggle-- are YouTube’s Algorithms Fueling Creator Burnout? YouTube creators are going public with their confessions about not making much dough. While many creators are dependant on FB/GOOG -- Alex Jones is certainly one of them, much to his dismay -- alternatives are sprouting up, from Bezos' TV babies to Caffeine, a "buzzy Twitch competitor" that just secured $100 Million from Fox.   Facebook Watch Is Now Available Globally, as Are Tools for Publishers and Creators [Adweek]Publishers and creators can choose between using an auto-insertion feature which allows Facebook to automatically select the best placements for ads within their videos, or to designate those placements themselves.Facebook says social video watching will set it apart from Netflix and YouTube [CNBC]We are really not focused on passive consumption of video. We are focused on building communities and connections around videosUK media giants call for independent oversight of Facebook, YouTube, Twitter [TechCrunch]The group of media and broadband operators in the tightly regulated industries spans both the state-funded and commercial sector — with the letter to the Sunday Telegraph being inked with signatures from the leaders of the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky, BT and TalkTalk.Amazon's aggressive push into entertainment [Axios]Three new investments: Amazon is planning an ad-supported Fire TV streaming app, nicknamed "Free Dive," that would rival that of Roku, The Information reports. It's also talking to Sony and Paramount for streaming rights to add more programing to its Amazon Prime video service, which is different from the planned "Free Dive" app, Bloomberg reports. Amazon is also planning its own DVR service that would rival that of TiVo, Bloomberg reports.21st Century Fox Tenders $100 Million Investment In Buzzy Livestreaming Platform Caffeine [Tubefilter]21st Century Fox (21CF) is betting big on Caffeine, a nascent social broadcasting platform founded by two former Apple execs that’s aimed at gamers and other online content creators.Alex Jones Said Bans Would Strengthen Him. He Was Wrong. [New York Times]The main Facebook pages for Mr. Jones and Infowars, meanwhile, had drawn 668 million views of their videos over the past three years, according to Tubular Labs. But both figures have since fallen to nearly pre-ban levels. And the spike could not replace the lost traffic from Infowars’ top three Facebook and YouTube channels, which together averaged roughly 900,000 video views a day in the three weeks before the ban, according to Tubular Labs.Snap, Viacom Digital Studios, YouTube’s FameBit To Headline Inaugural NewFronts West [Tubefilter]And today, the organization unveiled the nine video publishers set to headline the inaugural event, including: ad agency Digitas, Ellen Digital Network, Gallery Media Group (which comprises brands like PureWow and ONE37pm), Jukin Media, music and live events network LiveXLive Media, The Los Angeles Times, Meredith Corporation, The New York Times, Snap, SoulPancake, video game development company Unity Technologies.Facebook's 'family' is getting smaller, as several executives head for the exits in a turbulent year [CNBC]It's a major shake-up for a company that prides itself on keeping executives around — and that's pretty consistently been answering to scandal and public scrutiny in recent months.YouTube’s new tools help creators give back [The Next Web]The primary tool, which I expect will be the most frequently used by followers, is Super Chats for Good.The Young Turks Network Lays Off Staff, Retires Entertainment Shows [Tubefilter]At the same time, TYT continues to expand. It raised $20 million in August 2017 and moved into new broadcasting efforts this year by launching a 24-hour channel on YouTube TV and partnering with podcast network Panoply Media to kick-start the podcast-oriented TYT Audio Network.BuzzFeed News Asks Readers to Chip In With Donations [WSJ]The decision to launch a donate button on BuzzFeed News comes as the digital media company, founded in 2006, seeks to boost revenue growth. Last year, BuzzFeed missed its revenue target of about $350 million by about 15% to 20%.YouTube expands its ‘digital wellbeing’ tools to track time spent watching videos [TechCrunch]When the feature arrives, you can visit your profile in the account menu to see your stats, including time watched over various time frames, as well as your Daily Average. And more...Are YouTube’s Algorithms Fueling Creator Burnout? [Variety]YouTube's Piracy Protection Efforts Are Working Perfectly (For Those Deemed Worthy Of Them) [Forbes]YouTube Premium orders ITV Studios US comedy pilot [Digital TV Europe]YouTube Orders Pilot For Comedy Series ‘It’s A Man’s World’ About Sexism In Gaming [Tubefilter]NBC Sports Added Snapchat and Twitter to Its Game Plan for Michigan at Notre Dame [Adweek]Netflix Hires Head Of “Inclusion Strategy” Following Executive Ouster Over Racially Insensitive Remarks [Deadline]Snapchat hires new leader for its U.S. ad business [Ad Age]Snapchat’s Latest Ecommerce Play Sells Out Again—This Time With Adidas [Adweek]Ozy Media Ramps Up Video Content, New Production Studio [MediaPost]