The Big Money World of Kids’ Online Entertainment | The Circuit with Emily Chang

23 May 2024 (6 months ago)

Ryan Kaji's Success on YouTube

Ryan Kaji, a 12-year-old YouTube star, has amassed over 82 billion lifetime views across his channels.
Ryan's success has inspired a generation of kids to become content creators on YouTube.
Ryan's family turned their home into a movie set for his major motion picture debut, "Ryan's World."
Ryan's success led to the creation of Pocket Watch, a digital entertainment studio that turns YouTube kid stars into global franchises.
Ryan's World has expanded beyond YouTube, with merchandise, toys, and TV shows.
Ryan's channel was rebranded from Ryan ToysReview to Ryan's World after the FTC called out sponsored content concerns.
Ryan's content strategy has expanded to include science experiments, educational content, and an animated alter ego, Red Titan.
Ryan's upcoming movie aims to bring in new and old fans as he starts to age out of his target audience.

Ryan's father, Shion, was a structural engineer before becoming a YouTube content creator.
Ryan's mother, Loann, initially hesitated to let him make YouTube videos but eventually agreed after seeing how much fun he had.
Ryan's parents carefully manage his opportunities to ensure he has unique experiences while balancing his normal life and education.
The economics of kidfluencers can be extensive, but it's essential to manage it responsibly, considering Ryan's desires and the family's priorities.
The parents emphasize the importance of regulation to protect child performers in the digital content world and express confidence in the parents they work with.

YouTube Kids is designed to provide a safer experience for children, but concerns remain about the content recommendations and the potential for kids to navigate into inappropriate videos.
YouTube's CEO, Neil Mohan, acknowledges the responsibility of guiding young users safely and highlights the ongoing efforts to improve product experiences, policies, and content moderation.
YouTube collects data on children to protect users and understand traffic patterns, but personalized ads are not served to users under 18.
A new tool requires users to disclose when using AI-generated content, emphasizing creators' responsibility and YouTube's commitment to detecting such content.

The success of kids' shows like Cocomelon on YouTube has blurred the lines between streaming competitors and traditional kids' entertainment.
The trend of kids aspiring to become creators like MrBeast and Ryan Kaji reflects the open and inclusive nature of the platform, where anyone can share their creativity without barriers.
Ryan Kaji's upcoming movie without a major studio's involvement highlights the changing dynamics in the entertainment industry, driven by the engagement of fans and consumers on YouTube.
Ryan's parents believe that the success of his YouTube channel is a sign that social media stars deserve Hollywood's attention.

Ryan currently enjoys filming and wants to continue until he is 25 years old.
His future goal is to become an animator, and his parents fully support him in this pursuit.
Given Ryan's success so far, it seems like anything is possible for him in the future.