Watcher Entertainment, whose founders are of former Buzzfeed fame, are currently known for their YouTube series “Ghost Files,” “Puppet History,” “Mystery Files,” and more. But on April 19, 2024, the channel posted a video to YouTube titled “Goodbye YouTube.”
In the almost 15 minute video, Ryan Bergara, Steven Lim, and Shane Madej—the founders of Watcher Entertainment—discuss their individual histories with YouTube and Watcher, ending with the announcement of a new platform: watcher.tv. For 6 dollars a month or 60 dollars a year, viewers are now able to watch new series, as well as the continuation of old or canceled series. They explain how moving to such a platform was the obvious next step for the company, and how it would allow for videos with higher production quality. They also state that the prices were chosen to be affordable for all, and the money would help to pay employees higher salaries.
Understandably, the backlash for this video was enormous. Comments on YouTube and Instagram were angry at the insensitivity of the video, and the assumption that they would retain such high viewer counts on the platform. Most pushback came from the cost of the platform, as the assumption made by Watcher that most could afford the cost was incorrect and privileged.
On April 22, three days later, another video was posted to YouTube by Watcher, titled “An Update.” This much shorter video addressed the public response to the original video, notably lacking the aesthetic shots of Los Angeles and the almost melancholy music of “Goodbye YouTube.” Bergara, Lim, and Madej sit on a couch (this seems to be a very ex-Buzzfeed employee behavior) and apologize for the video, recognizing that the belief that it was an affordable price was insensitive and stating that those who are Patreon members for Watcher will have free access to the platform. They go on to say that videos will be released first on watcher.tv, and a month later will be posted to YouTube.
But is that video enough? Many fans have left and refuse to continue supporting Watcher Entertainment after “Goodbye YouTube,” and those who stay will most likely be less inclined to support them monetarily. Watcher Entertainment has had a solid fan base for years, but with one video, their downfall has begun.