Spotlight at NAB Show 2025: Creator Economy Emerges as Main Attraction

The Rising Tide of the Creator Economy at NAB Show 22

This year's NAB Show has been all about the creator economy, the rapidly-growing empire of digital and social media content creators that generates billions in revenue. With millions creating content for platforms like YouTube and TikTok, it's one of the hottest trends in digital media. And the NAB is backing it, hard.

"We're throwing our weight behind the creator economy," says Gigi Raskin, head of the Virtual Events Group, an NAB partner. The Creator Lab, offering sessions, hands-on experiences, and programming, takes center stage on the show floor. Expanded to more than double its original size, it's a statement: creators are here to stay.

Dhar Mann, founder of a studio with over 128 million followers and 1 billion monthly views, will grace the Main Stage in a session on Tuesday, April 8, at 3 p.m. Mann and his CEO, Sean Atkins, will also participate later in a Q&A in the Creator Lab.

Jim Louderback, CEO and editor of "Inside the Creator Economy," moderating a separate session with Mann and Atkins on Tuesday at the Creator Lab, thinks it's the perfect place for creators and traditional media to merge. "Creators are leaping into TV, and YouTube now streams more minutes to TV than mobile," he says. "Where better to learn about this new media world than NAB Show?"

The wild west that is the creator economy remains a fluid landscape. Goldman Sachs estimates that it's a $250 billion market involving some 50 million global creators in 2023, according to one estimate. Coherent Market Insights values the sector at over $191 billion in 2024 and sees it skyrocketing to $528 billion by 2030.

Stay Ahead of the Game

The creator economy traces its roots to social media influencers churning out short-form content using consumer tech. Today, it encompasses a broad spectrum of creators and professionals generating significant audiences. With success, they've formed close ties to major brands, big tech, and large media companies.

Dhar Mann Studios, with viewerships rivaling traditional TV programs, exemplifies this success. While it may have taken eyes from traditional TV and media, the creator economy also offers new opportunities for tech vendors, broadcasters, and media companies.

"The success of digital creators can be a learning curve for traditional broadcasters," Mann says. They can reach audiences more intimately and engage with them in real time, thereby mastering audience fragmentation at scale and crossing barriers set by traditional broadcasters. Ryan Schram, founder and managing partner of Particle Wave, an adviser to creator economy and tech firms, agrees: "We're seeing a surge of niche, hyper-targeted content resonating deeply with audiences, driving real revenue."

NAB Show offers sessions that delve into cross-platform production strategies, ways of engaging audiences at the heart of the creator economy, and practical training for creators. TravelingJules, a popular travel video journalist, will lead several classes on building personal brands, developing production techniques, monetizing content, and more. Indeed, it seems like the future is bright for creators. "I'm thrilled that creators have a space at NAB Show to build their relationships and skills," says TravelingJules.

Insights at a Glance:- The Rise of the Creator Economy : With billions in revenue and a huge influence on consumers, the creator economy represents a vital trend in digital media.- Meeting at NAB Show: Creators, brands, and traditional media come together at NAB Show to explore the intersection of old and new media and the vast opportunities it offers.- The Evolution of Content Creation: From social media influencers to creator studios with massive followings, the creator economy reveals new strategies for crafting engaging content.- The Power of Direct Audience Relationships: Direct relationships with audiences allow creators to build trust, respond to feedback, and monitor metrics in real time—advantages unavailable to traditional broadcasters.- The Importance of a Multi-Platform Approach: Crossing platforms and reaching audiences everywhere is crucial for broadcasters and creators in today’s fragmented media landscape.- The Impact on Traditional Media: Adapting to the streaming and creator-driven era is a major challenge for traditional broadcasters, with many wrestling with legacy fixed infrastructures and outdated processes.- The Changing Face of Workforce and Leadership: The creator economy demands leaders who foster community, challenge the status quo, and promote diversity. The industry's future depends on these traits.

At NAB Show 22, the focus on the creator economy is evident, with the Creator Lab expansions signaling the empowerment of digital and social media content creators.
Dhar Mann, a leading figure in the creator economy, will share insights on the industry during a Main Stage session and a Q&A in the Creator Lab.
Jim Louderback, CEO and editor of "Inside the Creator Economy," believes NAB Show is an ideal platform for creators and traditional media to collaborate and learn about the newest media trends.
Estimates suggest the creator economy, currently a fluid landscape, will be worth up to $528 billion by 2030, attracting the attention of both conventional and digital media.
With the rise of the creator economy, successful studios like Dhar Mann Studios challenge traditional television and media, while also presenting opportunities for technology vendors and broadcasters.
At NAB Show, sessions delve into cross-platform production strategies and practical training for creators, such as classes led by TravelingJules on building personal brands, developing production techniques, and monetizing content.
Creators, brands, and traditional media unite at NAB Show to explore the convergence of old and new media, with TravelingJules expressing excitement over the space available for creators to network and improve their skills.
The creator economy, with its potential for intimate audience engagement and real-time interaction, offers advantages unavailable to traditional broadcasters, leading to a changing landscape for both creators and broadcasters.