Hype, a YouTube feature that helps smaller channels break through to wider audiences, uses a point system that lets fans help emerging creators get onto a new ranked leaderboard. Launched as a test last year, Hype is now live in 39 countries, including the U.S., UK, Japan and India. Viewers can take advantage of a free opportunity to “hype” up to three long-form videos per week for creators with from 500 to 500,000 subscribers. Videos receive points for being hyped, with “bonus points” awarded on a sliding scale that benefits smaller creators. Only videos uploaded within the last 7 days are eligible. Continue reading YouTube Boosts Hype Feature to Help Creators Expand Reach

A group of 26 Taylor Swift fans have filed a lawsuit against Ticketmaster, alleging anticompetitive conduct and fraud after a glitch resulted in the ticketing service canceling sales to Swift’s “Eras” tour, leaving thousands of fans — some of whom waited four to eight hours in ticket queues last month — “empty-handed and unhappy,” according to The New York Times. Their outcry resulted in not only a 33-page complaint filed in California Superior Court in Los Angeles, but also Congressional demands to unwind the 2010 merger of Ticketmaster and Live Nation. Swift’s 52-show Eras tour is scheduled to begin in March. Continue reading Taylor Swift Fans File Class Action Suit Against Ticketmaster

TikTok is looking to take on Amazon’s Twitch, launching a subscription tier on TikTok Live that offers fans special access to content from their favorite creators for a monthly fee. Currently in beta, access to the new program is at the moment by invitation only, though the company says it will be rolling it out more broadly in the coming weeks. The Live Subscription monetization program is designed to let people “show their appreciation for their favorite Live creators,” TikTok says. Participants will get profile badges, custom emotes and private chat. Continue reading TikTok Rolls Out a Subscription Tier for the App’s Live Feature