Good morning. We’re thrilled to finally share something we’ve been working on the last few months: Our next creator summit, Press Publish LA, is happening on May 28. Save the date and keep reading for more on why we’re running back Press Publish (this time on our own turf), focusing on a major theme for our industry, and more. 

— Hannah Doyle & Syd Cohen

In today’s issue…

1) Our biggest announcement yet
2) How a film creator wants to change indie movie distribution
3) What happens when podcast creators leave YouTube for Netflix

On May 28, we’re bringing together creators, builders, and media entrepreneurs for the second installment of our flagship event: Press Publish LA.

Here’s why: For the last five years, we’ve been building a community through creator news—connecting with people who care about storytelling, entrepreneurship, and the future of media. Press Publish is our way of bringing that community into the same room.

We did it for the first time in NYC last September, bringing together 400+ creators, operators, and media entrepreneurs for the inaugural Press Publish summit. 

What we learned: Creators want community like this. And events could become a core part of our business.

“Most of the time we spend online falls into three buckets: regrettable minutes, forgettable minutes, and memorable minutes,” Samir said. “A lot of the internet is the first two. We started thinking about how to create more of the third and we realized the best way to do that was to bring people together in real life.”

So now we’re heading to Los Angeles to host The Hollywood Creator Summit. For a long time, we talked about what would happen when creators and Hollywood converged. But now? That convergence has happened—creators and Hollywood operate in the same entertainment system.

So how do creators build lasting, scalable businesses in this new reality? The next era of entertainment will be built by people who understand both worlds. That’s what Press Publish LA is all about.

What creators can expect: 

Tickets are now live 👇

Questions? Just reply to this email and we’ll get back to you.

– Hannah, Syd, Loz, Colin, and Samir

Last week, film creator Jonah Feingold announced a $3 million fundraising round to build out his romantic comedy media company, Romantical.

Set the scene: Feingold started Romantical in 2024 to bring back the romcom for a more online audience with his long-form “filmettes.” Although his YouTube projects are funded by Patreon and brand partnerships, Feingold is no stranger to the fundraising world. 

Breaking down the strategy: Feingold has made five feature films in the past five years and said he has no equity in any of them. He wants to build a system in which he 1) has ownership in his IP, but 2) can grant equity to team members who contributed to the film’s creative development.

While we’re here: In an open letter to YouTube last month, Feingold proposed a “Rent/Buy” button on the platform (separate from monthly channel membership options) for creators looking to sell standalone VOD content. 

Film rental on YouTube is currently only available to aggregate film services (like NBCU or A24), not individual creators. 

The goal is to change the way indie films are distributed. “There have never been more pathways to get your movie in front of an audience—and yet remarkably few of those pathways actually work at getting people to show up in a meaningful way,” Feingold said.

Sponsored by CTB

Bunnie XO is having a major moment. Her book Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic recently hit the top of the New York Times Best Seller list. But she’s also quietly built one of the most compelling interview platforms in podcasting.

In the Season 11 premiere of Dumb Blonde, Bunnie sits down with Sharon Osbourne for a rare and deeply personal conversation about life with Ozzy, the realities of loving someone in the spotlight, and the moments behind the headlines.

Moments like this don’t happen by accident. They require the right guest, the right timing, and the right coordination behind the scenes.

That’s where Central Talent Booking comes in.

For more than 26 years, CTB has helped creators secure meaningful conversations with the guests their audiences want to hear from.

Want guests who are game to have real conversations on your show?

Partner with Central Talent Booking.

In the battle for podcast dominance, Netflix is making significant headway. YouTube subscriber growth of certain Netflix-acquired podcasts has dropped up to 50% in the last year, Bloomberg reports.

Behind the screen: Netflix exclusively owns the podcasts it’s acquired. Although certain shows (like Jake Shane’s Therapuss) can continue uploading to Spotify, none of them can upload to YouTube or post their own clips to socials. 

The result? Decreasing YouTube viewership. Last year, football podcast 3 & Out With John Middlekauff saw 8,000 new YouTube subscribers in January. This January, the number fell to 1,500—despite posting YouTube-exclusive content separate from the Netflix-owned podcast.

The motivation for creators to sign with Netflix anyway: Netflix promises a cash guarantee, marketing, and access to its 300 million viewers. Although the exclusivity clause limits distribution on other platforms, some podcasts are taking the gamble with a long-term view.

^{*This is sponsored content.}