YouTube Raises Monetization Bar as Platform Pivots Toward Premium TV Model
AI-generated image · US National Wire
New requirements for the YouTube Partner Program double the watch-hour threshold for new creators, signaling a shift in how the platform values its middle-class creator base.
YouTube is significantly tightening the requirements for creators to earn revenue, effectively raising the barrier to entry for those seeking to monetize their content, as The Verge first reported. According to the outlet, the platform is implementing new thresholds for its YouTube Partner Program (YPP) as it attempts to evolve from a general video platform into a premium TV service comparable to Disney Plus, HBO Max, and Netflix.
Starting February 1, 2027, new applicants for the YPP will need to meet stricter criteria to begin earning money from subscriptions and advertisements. While the subscriber requirement remains at 1,000, the watch-time threshold is doubling. Creators must now secure either 8,000 qualified watch hours over the previous year—up from 4,000—or 20 million qualified Shorts views within a 90-day window, which is double the previous 10 million requirement.
Beyond the entry hurdles, YouTube is introducing new maintenance standards to ensure creators remain active. To keep earning from ads and subscriptions, YPP members must now maintain at least 1,000 watch hours over the past year, 1 million Shorts views, or upload a minimum of two long-form videos or five Shorts every 90 days. These rules supplement existing policies that allow YouTube to remove creators from the YPP if they fail to upload a video or post to the Posts tab for six months.
For those already enrolled in the program, YouTube has set a deadline of January 31, 2027, to accept these new terms or risk losing their monetization capabilities. Additionally, creators must maintain 10 million Shorts views over 90 days to earn from the Shorts Creators Pool, although The Verge notes that failing to meet this specific mark will not result in a total removal from the YPP.
As the platform shifts its focus toward high-production content—evidenced by the rollout of a "seasons" organization feature and broadcasting deals with figures such as Trevor Noah—it is also adjusting its revenue streams. YouTube is expanding its lower-cost Premium Lite subscription globally. The company stated that partners generally earn more from Premium subscribers than from ad-supported views. Currently, subscription revenue is split between long-form videos (55 percent) and Shorts (45 percent).