In Ep. 82 of Earned, Conor sits down with author, professor, Emmy-nominated TV producer, and media industry expert David Craig. As a clinical professor at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, David’s research focuses on “Social Media Entertainment” and the rise of “Creator Culture.” To start the show, we ask David about the looming threat of a TikTok ban in the U.S., and he shares his views on how the U.S. government can and should regulate social media platforms responsibly. Next, we dive deeper into David’s area of expertise—Creator Culture—and he unpacks the driving forces behind the industry’s recent evolution. We explore the growing number of business models creators can use to earn revenue, as well as the growing number of job opportunities within the social media and creator landscape, leading to a thought-provoking discussion around how Creator Culture will shape the future of labor. Conor and David then share their own experiences and learnings from testing their power as creators on social platforms. To close the show, David gives us a look inside his research and writing process, and reveals what book he’s working on next!

In this episode, you will learn:

What "Creator Culture" is, and how it has evolved over the last decade
How governments can manage social media platforms responsibly
Takeaways from Conor's and David's experiences testing their own power as creators

Resources:

Connect with the Guest(s):

David Craig’s LinkedIn

Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ:

Conor’s LinkedIn - @conormbegley
CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq

CreatorIQ YouTube - @TribeDynamics
CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq
CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq
CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

82 - David Craig, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism