Linus Beg Tips, now has a Channel Slush Fund ?? Are you kidding me?

[SuB]

I'm sorry but I can't not make a thread about this, this is my opinion, it's got nothing to do with being affiliated with this place in any way, and I imagine Tom might give me a slap for saying it.. But this is my opinion and I'm saying it (this is me taking off my staff / webmaster / admin badge at this point).
I don't see how people don't see this and aren't as annoyed as I am but I'm just really f'ing frustrated at seeing this on YouTube this morning.

So 'Channel Super Fun' (henceforth will be known as CSF or Channel Slush Fund if you prefer) hast just opened up a Patreon.

That's right, a 10+ man strong company, that gets sent more free stuff than you can imagine, creators and backers of a channel that gets free stuff by itself *already* is now on Patreon. A website for allowing small content-creators to have a little extra income from a few people who have a spare $ or two, that don't have regular income for what they put on their channels usually... Mostly for the smaller 1 man band kinda things.

Linus has one of, if not the, fastest growing/expanding tech review channels... ever? (I want to say ever, mostly because I can't think of anyone else who's expanded as fast as he has?). He used his YouTube popularity to create a forum, which is full of fanboys and kids and then did their very own 'Lets buy a warehouse' Kickstarter campaign which netted them tens of thousands of $ tax-free to get the business moved into bigger premises, hire more people etc.

None of that money needs any kind of return on it, no consequences, no risk, no shareholders to be beholden to, no investors, no business loans, and not even the real kickstarter fees... free money. A business which already has plenty of sponsorship money from the big tech companies _already_.

He hires (without being racist, but if you haven't noticed this.. come on) cheap labour for part of his staff, and exploits that in videos!!! (candidly points it out in fact).

And now he wants *more* money. And it's not even per-video, it's per-month. So it's not like it's based on creating content, it's just a god damn monthly retainer!

Now I'm sure regulars remember over the years we've suggested Tom setup some kind of donation system, or to give him money and he's always, ALWAYS said no. He's super reluctant to do it and doesn't feel it's right, he makes the money for the business using normal adverts on the site and a few in videos. Knowing a little more behind the scenes I know just how hard that is, I know Tom doesn't always take a wage from this, I know how much work goes into the reviews, the videos etc.. I have huge respect for him for not just succumbing to the idea of taking money off people like Linus has. Remember the uproar when we tried to stop people using adblock? That's the kind of thing that really hurts...

Maybe Tom really should get a Patreon up for the regulars? Maybe that's just how the internet is now?

LMG pushes adverts hard in their videos, they push hard for likes, comments, subscribes and for people to go and buy their crap, use their amazon affiliate link and everything else. That's on top of the massive money they'll have coming in from the big sponsors and bits they have.

Now, from a business acumen stand point, it's genius.. he's turned a 2 man business into a 10+ man strong thriving Hardware review youtube monopoly in just over 3 years and that's to be commended, well done. But to try and tell us that your little p***-about channel costs more than you expected? Well cry me a river... You do not belong on Patreon, suck it up and put it on the BUSINESS EXPENSES like everyone else, not everything in life is free. When you can screw around with a $10k+ CPU that you didn't even pay for, by trying to secure stuff to it with cable ties out of pure impatience, I have absolutely no sympathy for you what-so-ever.


/rant

 

[Excalabur50]

I got so shirty with Linus's videos always asking for money that I unsubscribed from him ages ago and to tell the truth his videos are total S**T a few halfassed facts with half the vid begging for money, so I can understand totally where you are coming from SuB and I know Tom doesn't like asking for money but this is one channel that I would quite happily donate to as you can see the time and effort put into each and every review and hell even though I can't buy things from the UK I still click on an ad every now and then hoping it generates some revenue

 

[Kushiro]

Wow, ignorance is a bliss. Never taken note of his stuff.

 

[Doomslayer]

I'm not shocked bye Linus asking for a hand out, This started all the way back when they first moved out of the garage into that house almost 3 years ago, I unsubscribed from Linus over 12 months ago, I got to the point where his videos were just pi**ing me off and i just wasn't interested in his videos anymore i would have to forced myself to sit there and watch them.

There are other people on Youtube like Logan from Tek Syndicate & Kyle from Awesome Sauce Network, Kyle doesn't even push his, Logan will say it once or twice in a video but that is only in The Tek or Inbox but never a review video.

I don't really have any respect for Linus at all, I have more respect for people like TTL, Logan, Kyle & Jayz.

 

[WYP]

TBH i think Patreon is really for those that have a smaller operation than Linus, he has already shown that he can make at least one video a day, so what can really be gained from giving him Patreon money?

What I think Patreon is for is smaller youtubers that need the money to live or keep the business going and even then with that comes a lot of accountability, which I am sure Linus will not give. He already has forum subscriptions for those who want to give, so patreon is a stupid idea, do one or the other, not both.

I have seen over recent weeks that Tek Syndicate and PCPER have gone on patreon, which they have done for the right reasons. They have done it to be more independent from the full banner ads etc that most sites use and to deliver some more in depth content that is simply too time consuming to be worth it for pageviews and ads alone.

As sub said the LTT patreon looks like a slush fund, with no defined purpose or goal in mind, so I for one would certainly not be supporting it.

 

[jimma47]

Is it a cultural thing? Aussies I know don't like to ask for money, Brits are most likely similar considering that's where a large chunk of our culture comes from (not being ignorant of multiculturalism or the indigenous Australians just a generalisation)

I don't mind an ad or two in the 'vote if you like it subscribe use our links for amazon' area or web page banners and the like. I quite like Hardware Cannucks and they use ads and affiliate codes (are they related to LMG at all? or is it just a Canadian thing?)

As long as they're up front - this is sponsored or whatever it doesn't worry me. Not OMG This is AMAAAAAZING buy this case/cooler/monitor and then you find out it's a sponsored deal.

I get what SuB is saying about LMG are too big for Patreon. They certainly have evolved into a decent business and should have income streams to reflect that.

People will vote with their money or their subscription. It will work or not.

In the end though it is their (content owners) choice to do it or not. It's our choice to watch his videos or donate dollars. The youtube ads lately are driving me crazy. I know Google are pushing for a paid service 'ad free' so maybe they're to blame but it's a capitalist world we live in.

I'm sure there are plenty that won't give LMG a cent and still watch all the vids. There are plenty of people that would happily fund OC3D. It's Linus and Toms choice as to how they run their business. It may be run for the fans - it may be run to make dollars. Ultimately they all have to eat and pay electricity bills so support the sponsors whatever your personal view.

 

[Damien c]

I saw that video this morning and to be honest, I really did get annoyed with it.

There are certain people on Youtube that I would happily when I have the spare cash, send a small donation as I am on a limited income and although I do make some money from my uploads on youtube, I in the years that I have had the videos monetized have only made a whopping £8 almost £9.

The likes of Tom, and a few others are the main ones I would donate to as they all put out amazing videos on there own, they don't have people sat there all day editing videos, and doing other stuff.

I know on here OC3D there are a few people that write articles for the news section, and that is as far as I am aware the only help that Tom gets on here.

The really annoying thing is that, there are people out there that could use Patreon to help them grow there channel, like myself in being able to get better hardware to put out better quality videos and more videos, start doing livestreams etc, but for me though I won't because I would rather earn the money than ask other people for it.

For other small channels out there, they could see Linus asking for money in order to maintain a channel and that could stop some people from making a channel or continuing a channel because they could think, that such a big channel is struggling how I am going to survive on there.

Looking at Patreon now for the "CSF" channel it is already up to nearly $1400 a month and I know in terms of running a business that, is nothing really but for someone who runs a small channel that sort of money a month could, be the difference in being able to survive on youtube or not surviving.

I mean I have been uploading videos to youtube for nearly 7 years now, and I am not going to stop putting videos up, and will continue to spend 3 to 6 hours converting a single video and uploading it and whilst, it may be a waste of time because of the low views I get on each video, most of them are sub 50 to 100 views, I do it because I enjoy sharing my gameplay and some people do watch them and enjoy them.

Linus though just takes the pee, I mean 1 of his lowest viewed videos will get more views in 1 day than my whole channel has in 7 years.

 

[Thelosouvlakia]

Linus started all well in the begginning, a small company slowly hiring people to push out more content but then he realised that in order to maintain that many people he needs to get more money that ads couldn't get him so he started doing the "monthly contribution" on the forum then the amazon affiliate links and now patreon which is a monthly contribution after all, he moved to a new HUUUUGE building and I bet that he doesn't have the money to have 10+ workers and for the upkeep of the new premises -everyone who isn't in the old team, including taran- are there to be his bitches and humiliate them in every CSF video! and now he wants his viewers to fund him doing exactly that. I mean who the heck humiliates a whole team for a matress?!

 

[Dicehunter]

Stopped liking Linus a good while ago since he turned into a beggar and the whole like begging with - "click like if you want to see blah blah blah" and then there's the "Buy our merch to support us" and the endless amounts of advertising and begging of various types.

His forum is also horrible, I asked a question quite a while back to do with sound and I got my head bitten off by a few forum flunkies and then warned by a mod to no reply otherwise I would get banned.

Bunch of annoying kids.

 

[Wraith]

*Cough I'll just leave this here http://www.statsheep.com/LinusTechTips

 

[Dicehunter]

*Cough I'll just leave this here http://www.statsheep.com/LinusTechTips

Roughly £7000-$36,000 a month ? That's insane

 

[Wraith]

Roughly £7000-$36,000 a month ? That's insane

Yup! Also don't forget to subscribe, give us a like if you liked it and if you didn't... that's cool too... while we're on the subject of "Cool" our sponsor today is Original Source Tea Tree & mint shower gel for when you just need to experience the feeling of having snowman balls.

Sorry guys I'm not a fan of Linus squeeky t!ts. His voice drives me insane and the vast majority of his adverts, apologies "videos" are cringe worthy, racist, boring & corporately painful to view now.

Businesses do grow and need to expand this much is true... but, money should be made fair and square NOT begged and bartered for. In all honesty LTT should have their Patreon account suspended the LMG make enough revenue without having to continue to beg for it.

 

[barnsley]

*Cough I'll just leave this here http://www.statsheep.com/LinusTechTips

Statsheep (and the other sites) can sometimes be hilariously inaccurate so I'd take it with a pinch of salt.

 

[Dicehunter]

Yup! Also don't forget to subscribe, give us a like if you liked it and if you didn't... that's cool too... while we're on the subject of "Cool" our sponsor today is Original Source Tea Tree & mint shower gel for when you just need to experience the feeling of having snowman balls.

Sorry guys I'm not a fan of Linus squeeky t!ts. His voice drives me insane and the vast majority of his adverts, apologies "videos" are cringe worthy, racist, boring & corporately painful to view now.

Businesses do grow and need to expand this much is true... but, money should be made fair and square NOT begged and bartered for. In all honesty LTT should have their Patreon account suspended the LMG make enough revenue without having to continue to beg for it.

His videos are racist ? Can't say I've noticed that

 

[Wraith]

Statsheep (and the other sites) can sometimes be hilariously inaccurate so I'd take it with a pinch of salt.

Normally I'd agree fella, but even Pewdiepie has admitted they are correct... the projected earnings are all guess work I'll admit that.

 

[barnsley]

Normally I'd agree fella, but even Pewdiepie has admitted they are correct... the projected earnings are all guess work I'll admit that.

IIRC he has always been very open about how much he makes. Just because he said it is right it doesn't mean it is going to be accurate for anyone else.

That said it could also severely underestimate his earnings...

 

[DarthDudo]

I'm not sure if those estimates include sponsorship's isn't it just based off YouTube ad revenue?

I think most people can understand the need for a media production company or any company for that matter to "diversify their revenue stream" BUT the public are the CONSUMER not the investor they are not selling equity of their company, they are not "sharing" anything they are a production company, they produce, we consume, we pay with advertisements and more advertisements (seriously 40% of pretty much every video is an advertisement)

This is just the same in my eyes as the drama with the Fine Bro's, its completely exploitative, they count on the viewers/donators/white knights who justify their practices being ignorant and easily susceptible to the most obvious marketing double speak.

I watch some videos from LinusTechTips however I would not believe a single review of a product, time and time again they has shown their willingness to completely ignore common product defects if they don't appear in their sample, which IMO as the largest Tech channel on YouTube is completely irresponsible and disingenuous to the audience, most of whom have a very limited budget to spend on a luxury like PC's/Monitors/F***ing $2000 underpowered Razer garbage,

They just ignore common complaints and potential issues of these incredibly expensive luxury items and then endorse them as a product fit for public consumption, when this money could be much better spent elsewhere like education,personal health or just better, alternative products, it's simply incredible that people donate or support them whatsoever.

 

[tolagarf]

Eh well I don't care to be honest..

Linus makes some freaking excellent videos and I simply do not care if people wants to toss money at his feet for that, in whatever form. Nobody is forcing you to watch those videos or support them. I mean you can really argue for or against patreon for so many Youtube channels if they deserve it or not.

There's a lot of shady *stuff* going around with both Youtube and Twitch.tv, that I would simply suggest staying away if it conflicts with your moral standards. We're not the Internet Police afterall.

 

[AlienALX]

He's a celebrity now. And like all celebrities he will probably fall at some point.

I have no malice toward him at all. I also don't think what he says to his employees is in any way serious, he just seems to joke around a lot.

Whatever he does though he's the best at it in the world right now. I mean seriously, many thousands of dollars for what? opening a box*.

It's almost like he's being paid for jacking off - fair play.

* I know he does more than that. That was a joke, like.

 

[coffeefoot]

Ok. Now I fully understand what was/is happening. I did notice a change when he started making silly jokes and putting on more and more advertising.
I thought Patreon was for folks who really needed the money to help them get off the ground or get something started. For Linus, this seems to be just another revenue stream. Ah well. capitalism at it's best.