The High Cost of Content: Why Controversial Guests Threaten Our Business
Recent discussions surrounding a prominent live video podcast have highlighted a critical challenge facing content creators like us: the immense pressure regarding guest selection and the severe potential consequences of bringing certain individuals onto our platforms. A back-and-forth involving a well-known host being pressed by his guests underscores the age-old accusation that creators are protective of their revenue sources, specifically YouTube income.
As someone who still heavily relies on traditional YouTube ad revenue as the largest portion of my income, I understand this push and pull intimately. Running a business means employing a full-time staff, and I have about 10 to 11 people who would immediately lose their jobs if my channel were fully demonetized tomorrow. This reliance creates a significant weakness, and it’s something I believe many people outside the industry might not fully grasp.
While I personally would host almost anyone on my show, including individuals like Alex Jones, I am acutely aware that platforms like YouTube have conditions on who can be featured. The problem with hosting certain controversial figures is not necessarily about disagreeing with their opinions. It’s about the tactics used by them and their followers. When people host someone and are then subjected to non-stop harassment from that guest’s followers for weeks afterward, it’s a completely normal human response to not want to repeat that experience. Although a guest may not control their audience, they could suggest that their followers not jeopardize opportunities for them.
There are very real, unavoidable consequences to having specific individuals on your show. Some have been widely deplatformed and even reportedly debanked. Why would a content creator of any size willingly invite potential shadowbans or even a permanent channel ban that could destroy their entire business? It seems that some fans demand hosts willingly put their entire livelihood at risk.
This is why supporting new technology and alternative platforms (“alt tech”) is so crucial. I have been a proponent of new tech for years, publishing videos on Rumble long before any contract, and have built a significant following there, hoping one day to be less reliant on YouTube. While I could host controversial guests on Rumble, YouTube still holds the power to shut down my business if they decide I haven’t adequately challenged a guest’s ideas. This highlights the urgent need for platforms where creators can make a living exclusively without fear of such penalties.
There is also a separate, often conspiratorial, accusation that some creators are influenced or “bought out” by foreign interests, specifically mentioning Israel or Russia. I do not believe a prominent host has ever knowingly taken money from Israel or Russia; I see those as stupid lies. There have been discussions about certain media personalities meeting with foreign leaders, such as the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu or the premier of Qatar. While some find this concerning, suggesting it’s related to lobbying for foreign policy goals, I witnessed firsthand how media personalities pushed back during one such meeting with Netanyahu. Regardless, the idea that Tim is afraid to host a guest because he is “bought out” by Israel is a deranged accusation. The reality is far simpler and more pragmatic.
I openly admit that I am afraid that YouTube will destroy my entire business overnight, that I will lose all my sponsors. I do not deny that there are real consequences, both socially and online, for hosting certain people with specific ideas. And there is a real price to be paid for speaking out about specific nations, particularly for conservatives or those in the middle, a price that leftists often don’t face when criticizing allies.
The dilemma is clear: is it worth torpedoing your entire business just to prove you’re not afraid to destroy it? My advice to Tim and the clear reality for many creators is simply this: everyone knows there’s a penalty for hosting certain guests, and I am not going to destroy my business and potentially fire my staff to prove that point. Only an absolute loser would blame someone for not wanting to torpedo their entire business. This situation, daring someone to cause self-destruction for audience entertainment, even has a name: “selling wolf tickets”.
Supporting new tech platforms and directly supporting creators through memberships allows more people to express themselves freely. For instance, picking up some items at a significant discount right now not only gets you great products but also helps me clear inventory and support my business directly, reducing reliance on volatile ad revenue. Support the show via thequartering.com/join to help build a future where creators aren’t held hostage by platform pressures.
