• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, May 14, 2026

At YouTube's Brandcast upfront presentation Wednesday, executives talked about the platform's content foundation and focus on creator content (not just podcast content), distinguishing it in comparison to other channels.  

Company executives also talked up new artificial intelligence (AI) offerings, as well as working with brands growing “performance” based wants; specific business outcome-focused media schedules are in its target sights.

Defining what YouTube has been to the media industry has always been tricky. More recently, executives have tried to address that.

The Google-owned video platform wants to sell itself with maximum flexibility -- not only to be a just social-media site, or a content-like TV network platform, or a not-so-premium-looking site of user-generated content.

It wants to thread the needle between all places -- but with the intent of working diligently with brands to provide them with all their needs.

“We’re bundling anything that works for them,” Google President of Americas & Global Partners Sean Downey told The Wall Street Journal.

And that means pairing YouTube Shorts, with growing sports-related video podcasts, for example, with an upcoming NFL game -- in addition to whatever other standard ads media schedule added for value and reach.

There is also general interest video podcasts that can be bundled in other content like one of the biggest on YouTube, "The Joe Rogan Experience."

What about the downsides? Those "brand safety" issues continue to pop up, as YouTube still has a sizable foundation of user-generated content. Yes, YouTube has "premium" buy offerings but that can be pricey -- reportedly $50 to $150 CPM (cost-per-thousand viewers).

Measurement and data issues remain. Google’s "walled-garden" concerns continue when it comes to certain data, such as offering incremental reach information.

Beyond "premium" deal-making, more broad-based media campaigns can also be a problem when it comes to knowing exactly when, where, and what specific shows/content brand messaging will appear-- something legacy TV networks can offer.

Better third-party measurement providers would be helpful, according to some surveys.

That said, the bigger picture from Nielsen confirms brands have little choice but to strongly consider YouTube upfront deals.

February’s reading of Nielsen's Gauge and Media Distributor Gauge -- even as the measurement company talked up making methodological adjustments to those services -- continued to show YouTube with a dominant 12.7% share, over companies such as Netflix and Walt Disney.

With legacy, linear TV still declining, brands are pulled in to consider all options for this upfront ad-selling period. Not so tricky.

This story has been updated.