How Does TLDR Choose Video Topics?

In the latest episode of the Editorial Jack and Zac discuss our most recent videos, and how the team actually decide which videos to make...

Our New Channel:

[boldiegoldie]

"Polycrisis is a great word, it feels nice to say but also just makes you sound smart" - TLDR Zac 2022

[jnliewmichael]

The continuing TLDR US issue is so damn interesting

Like, yeah, there's the saturation of US news content already on Youtube,
but could it also somehow be a thing with "why would I listen to British people talking about US news when I can just hear that from Americans"? Like, what percentage of TLDR US's subscribers are British vs US?

Before hearing from you guys about the TLDR US's poor performance, I was sure that the channel could even overtake TLDR EU.
Wish you guys a change in fortune for that channel!

[jumbobrian]

Hi, US viewer from California here.

I think part of the problem regarding the US channel is that the sort of US viewer who is interested in UK / EU / global politics probably already has a very healthy US news and politics diet, so the value-add of a TLDR video on a given US topic is less than that of a TLDR video on something about European politics. I know very little, relatively speaking, about European politics, and too much about US politics. So there have been several times where I've watched the US video and thought it was nice, but I didn't really learn anything new. (But hey I watched it all the way through at least.)

The recent Could Dems Win the Midterms video was great though. Even if I didn't learn anything new in particular, it was a good synthesis of a bunch of different reasons Biden/Dems are getting things done and their improving fortunes in the polls. That's the sort of video I shared with my friends, the ones who don't follow politics as closely but are curious what the current deal is.

Another thought, even if you're going for an unbiased/balanced approach, I have a hunch most of your US audience leans left, since I think the left is more open to outsider viewpoints generally. And I don't think it's a coincidence that I clicked on / watched / shared a video of good things happening on "my side" whereas I skipped a bunch of videos about conservative successes.

I almost wonder if you'd have more success directing your US content towards a EU and/or global audience, since the value-add of explaining US politics to those audiences is higher? Explaining US constitutional law and politics in terms of UK / EU / global principles might give them some wider appeal, while giving the US audience something new and different to chew on.

[TillBarkley]

I love how Jack is just advertising.

I don't understand why people wouldn't watch the Peru episode or the US channel.
Maybe it is possible to have shorter vidoes on the US channel

Maybe people would watch 2 5min vidoes per week - then again, the US is weird.
I genuinely love all the videos TLDR releases, you're all doing a great job.

Sadly I can't write comments on Nebula...

[thegreatestchigone]

You could do a video on GCSE results. If next week there not much British news. You could compare it to past results and compare them to other countries results (e.g France, Germany, etc.)

[hillsilk]

You know..bro.. you are far far better than our news company here in our country. I'm so glad I found this channel.. God bless

[wheninthecourseofhuma]

I feel Americans nowadays don't consume much YT and use TikTok, IG, Snap, etc. instead. They also get their news from local TV and their ideologically preferred national TV channels.
Brits have been used to watching BBC/C4/... clips on YT and anglophone Europeans wouldn't really even exist without YT.

I also feel there's two sides of Nebula, the rather American (Legal Eagle, Second Thought) and the rather non-American (Hoog, Polymatter) and that you are closer to the latter.

[HannesRadke]

As one of the chosen few who watched that Peru video: I wasn't interested in an abstract sense, I was interested because you rarely see anything about South America in general, despite it's rich history and turbulent present.

[MrLurchsThings]

Re the Peru video. I really enjoy videos like this and it’s one of the reasons I watch everything from both you guys, but also VisualPolitik, and CaspianReport.

[jonahw]

As a US Citzen I love TLDR's goal to be non-partisan and transparent. I wish TLDR US got more love, Its interesting to follow the british prime minister elections and things happening globally, But I would love to get more non partisan information on the things happening locally. I understand the costs and everything so I see why more videos dont get made.

[jordanlester]

Every part of the world is connected in some way, whether we know it or not.

[szalailaci]

29:25 Jack was wearing those short pants the whole time. Lol.

[kenshinjenna]

I watch on Nebula and there wasn't a link to the new channel on Nebula. Are you not launching it there, or does Nebula just not allow the channel to be created beforehand.

P.S. I won't subscribe on Youtube because the shorts and community posts of the other 100 channels I'm subbed to make Youtube time-consuming pruning operation.

[tubiesandro]

To get a US audience for US news could be hard. But I do have difficulties understanding why you couldn't get a UK or EU audience for US news. Maybe the channel separation is an issue here!

[jordanlester]

Perhaps you could do a video on the IMF etc

[marlonmcallister]

I personally like the tldr us videos as supplement to the other tldr channels. Just watched the food shortage getting better video. If you are looking for more light hearted content, maybe you could do a video on this channel reacting to the latest juice media honest government ads for the uk. Its funny and true at the same time

[andrespalacios]

Kudos for doing a video about Peru nonetheless :) I think Peru is less captivating because the country doesn't fit the usual narratives about Latin America or the kind of political stories that make for good storytelling : not too rich nor too poor; not booming but not in an extreme economic crisis (yet) ; not a right wing nor left wing dictatorship and most of all not a charismatic leader. Even youtube channels that talk about latin America don't give Peru a lot of screen time (relative to its size I mean) but that may be good news in a way. BBC Mundo (BBC's version focused on Latin America and Spain) recently made 2 videos on how inflation in Bolivia and Peru are relatively low. I guess you need a large budget to make these kinds of stories since people prefer (in my opinion but I may be mistaken) more sensationally catastrophic news.

[CharlesRevis]

26:30 it’s alright I’ve just doubled the ram in my computer so now I can watch 2x as many tldr us videos at once

[jordanlester]

Perhaps with tldr us, you may need to employ writers from and or in the USA who have their finger on the pulse of what Americans are concerned about?

[Jonas_M_M]

TLDR Channel Ranking:
1.) EU
2.A) Global
2.B) UK
3.) US