In a surprising turn of events, YouTube sensation Jimmy Donaldson, popularly known as MrBeast, has decided to part ways with his talent management company, Night Media.
What Happened: The 25-year-old YouTube star has informed Night Media that the company will no longer be his primary talent management agency, reported Semafor, citing two people familiar with the matter.
This decision comes as Donaldson plans to take more personal control of his business, which according to the YouTuber generated over $600 million in annual revenue last year.
Night Media, which has been instrumental in the success of several online influencers, including MrBeast, has expressed its intention to maintain a relationship with Donaldson, albeit not necessarily an exclusive one, the sources said.
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Why It Matters: Donaldson’s departure from Night Media comes on the heels of his major Hollywood deal with Amazon’s Prime Video for the Beast Games series, further solidifying his position as a leading figure in the entertainment industry.
Donaldson’s main YouTube channel currently has more than 256 million subscribers. Last month, T-Series, the world’s most subscribed YouTube channel with more than 264 million followers, reportedly asked its followers to come together to defeat MrBeast in terms of subscriber count.
The YouTuber has also been making some changes in his content strategy. In March earlier this year, he said, “This past year I’ve slowed down our videos, focused on storytelling, let scenes breathe, yelled less, more personality, longer videos, etc. And our views have skyrocketed!”
