YouTube has made changes to its Partner Program that outlines the terms and
conditions under which creators engage with the company. The video-
streaming giant has announced that creators using the YouTube Shorts
platform will start earning from ad revenue beginning February 1, 2023. This
new revenue model will replace the YouTube Shorts Fund, and the company
hopes that more creators will earn from the new revenue-sharing model.
The new revenue-sharing model, known as the Shorts Monetization Module,
will allow creators to share revenue from ads viewed between videos in the
Shorts Feed. YouTube has urged all creators to sign up for the new module
before February 1, as those who sign up thereafter will only start earning
from the date of signing up. Creators will also not be able to earn from Shorts
views accrued prior to accepting the Shorts Monetization Module.
The revenue sharing model for creators who use music in their Shorts is more
complex, as it involves sharing the costs of music licensing. If a creator
uploads a Short without music, all of the revenue associated with its views will
go towards the creator pool. However, if a creator uploads a Short with music,
the revenue based on its views will be split among the Creator Pool and music
partners based on the number of tracks used.
YouTube has also stated that non-original Shorts, such as unedited clips from
movies or TV shows, re-uploaded content from other creators on YouTube or
another platform, or compilations with no original content added, will not be
eligible for the Shorts Monetization Module.
