Sports leagues once regularly went after fans who posted highlights (or lowlights) online without special permission. Now, brands beyond sports are paying amateur editors by the view to upload slices of longer-form videos on individual accounts.
Welcome to “the clipping economy.”
As user-generated content platforms soak up more watch time, entertainers are turning to armies of so-called clippers to convert shows, songs and interviews into bite-sized videos. Media companies, meanwhile, have adjusted to satiate short-form cravings, too. Netflix and Amazon Prime Video recently launched vertical video feeds within their apps to spotlight their own clips. The New York Times’ watch tab offers a similar experience. Peacock, meanwhile, is now pumping out unscripted Bravo “microdramas.” A March YouGov poll found that 70% of 16-to-24-year-olds watch clips from shows or movies on social media instead of the full version.
“Clips are no longer the byproduct of the main product—they’re the main product,” business analyst Ed Elson recently wrote. “There’s only one path back for legacy media: They have to win the clip economy.”
ESPN, however, doesn’t need to pivot. It’s already on top.
