I had a conversation last week with a well-known creator who often receives requests to sign exclusively with various platforms.

They told me they will never sign exclusively to one platform because they don’t want to be beholden to its decisions.

I agree.

So when Netflix and Spotify announced they would be entering a partnership, my first thought was:

How will this benefit creators?

It’s a clear attempt to join forces and take on YouTube, which continues to expand its dominance, especially as it pushes to become the new television platform.

We’ve entered a new battle in the podcast platform wars.

Let’s get into it 👇

Quick Fire 🧨

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Spotify has teamed up with Netflix

Spotify and Netflix are teaming up to corner the video-podcast market, joining forces against their common enemy: YouTube.

Earlier this week, the two streaming giants announced a new partnership that will see six Spotify podcast shows made available on Netflix.

There are clear benefits for both sides:

Netflix gets topical, talk-driven content that keeps users coming back — not just at night, but throughout the day.

Spotify gets massive visibility and brand exposure.

Since both platforms have YouTube in their sights, there’s a clear strategic play here.

But the deal reportedly prevents these shows from posting full episodes on YouTube. Only clips and segments will be allowed, which seems restrictive from a creator standpoint.

Still, there’s an upside: it pushes creators to lift their visual production game. If podcasting is going to live on Netflix, it has to look the part.

The big picture is that it keeps the competition healthy. It’s forcing platforms to innovate and, ultimately, strengthening the creator ecosystem.

Is this something that YouTube should be worried about? No. Well, not yet at least. But they’re certainly paying close attention.

Things are getting exciting in the podcast world.

Instagram

• added on iOS a new “Watch history” feature for Instagram Reels.

• Edits now you reverse clips up to 30 seconds in duration.

YouTube

• is rolling out its new-look video player globally.

• upgraded its Shorts editor with a timeline view.

• is now showcasing Trending Songs in the Shorts feed.

TikTok

• Live now lets you choose exactly who sees your stream. You can set your audience to Everyone, Friends or specific people.

Snapchat

• is bringing shopping features to its AR glasses.