This article was published on March 24, 2014

Disney to buy YouTube network Maker Studios for $500 million


Disney to buy YouTube network Maker Studios for $500 million

Disney has announced an agreement to purchase popular YouTube multi-channel network Maker Studios for $500 million plus as much as $450 million in additional performance-based compensation.

Maker Studios boasts 380 million subscribers and 5.5 billion views per month across 55,000 channels. Notable channels on the network include PewDiePie, ‘Epic Rap Battles of History,’ and Mike Tompkins. According to recent data from TubeFilter, Maker Studios was responsible for 9 out of the top 100 most-viewed channels on YouTube in January.

Disney said it expects the deal to close by the end of the second quarter of this year.

Thumbnail credit: Thomas Samson / AFP /  Getty Images

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