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Freedom! (YouTube network)

Comparing version 4 (20 September 2026, 17:26 UTC, imported from the content file) with version 4 (20 September 2026, 17:26 UTC, imported from the content file).

The text is identical between these two versions; the change was to the references or the provenance, not to what the page says.

1. Type: YouTube multi-channel network
2. Founded: December 2013
3. Founder: George Vanous
4. Gaming sub-network: MGN (headed by Dave Fracchia)
5. Affiliate publisher: Freedom Games (per Freedom! (tips.h.ki))
6. Creator platform: Heartbeat (per Chrome Web Store)
7. Reported channels (Oct 2016): Over 177,000
8. Reported subscribers (Oct 2016): 211 million
9. AID Partners stake (2016): 50.01% of any.TV for US$60 million
10. Founding and operations
11. According to Freedom!, the network operates directly with YouTube as a technology partner for content creators.
12. Freedom! was launched in December 2013 as a YouTube multi-channel network focused on community engagement, transparency, and gaming.
13. George Vanous, the founder, is the network's chief executive; his own page covers his biography in more detail.
14. The gaming-focused sub-network MGN is headed by Dave Fracchia.
15. According to the Centre for Digital Media, MGN offers partners up to 95% of revenue.
16. Freedom! says it pays partners on a weekly cycle and uses an in-house Content ID system called Aegis to flag partner content.
17. Freedom! is listed as an industry partner of the Centre for Digital Media in Vancouver under the name "Freedom! / MGN Studios".
18. Freedom! introduces its founder The network's own 2014 video introducing its chief executive, published shortly after launch.
19. Reach (2014-2016)
20. As of October 2016, Freedom! stated that the network ran over 177,000 channel partners, 211 million subscribers and 45 billion total views worldwide.
21. In October 2016, Variety reported that the network asserted it had more than 177,000 channel partners, 211 million subscribers and 46 billion total views across the world.
22. South China Morning Post reported that, in October 2016, 16% of Freedom!'s views came from the United States and 47% of partner revenue was generated there, while Chinese-language markets accounted for 2.2% of viewership.
23. According to AID Partners, viewership grew 50.2% in the 12 months to June 2016 and estimated partner revenue was up 43.6% year-to-date.
24. AID Partners investment
25. On 13 October 2016, the South China Morning Post and Variety stated that AID Partners Technology Holdings would pay US$60 million (HK$468 million) to acquire a 50.01% controlling interest in any.TV, Freedom!'s parent company.
26. AID Partners said the acquisition was motivated by a perceived shift in advertising toward video platforms in the Asia-Pacific region.
27. AID Partners chief executive Gilbert Ho Chi-hang said the firm hoped to provide larger resources to Freedom! to facilitate its growth.
28. Freedom! planned to use the funding to broaden its content mix beyond gaming into music, beauty and youth-oriented programming.
29. According to South China Morning Post, George Vanous publicly welcomed the AID Partners investment, saying it would fuel the network's growth.
30. Freedom Games
31. According to Freedom! (tips.h.ki), Freedom Games was founded in 2020.
32. An 80.lv report on the November 2022 funding round quoted Ben Robinson as chief operating officer and co-founder of Freedom Games.
33. Freedom Games announced a US$10 million funding round in November 2022, led by Play Ventures with participation from Nashville Capital Network and GFR Fund.
34. Freedom Games said in 2022 that it had sold "hundreds of thousands of copies" of its published indie titles.
35. Before November 2022, Freedom Games had released the indie games Coromon, Dreamscaper, Dark Deity, Cat Cafe Manager and Symphony of War.
36. Freedom Games said the November 2022 funding would be used to expand staff, develop its community platform wiki.gg, and grow its catalog of indie games.
37. Heartbeat platform
38. According to Chrome Web Store, Heartbeat is a multi-format publishing platform built by Freedom! that pays creators for content even when it receives no views.
39. According to Chrome Web Store, the Heartbeat Chrome extension lets users press the H key while watching a YouTube video to save selected moments to their Heartbeat channel.
40. The Chrome extension's developer is listed as Freedom! Family Limited, and the extension was at version 2.108.0 as of 23 June 2026.
41. Freedom! claims a 110% revenue share, equal to 10% more than YouTube's standard share, on videos about games it publishes, even for channels not in the YouTube Partner Program.
42. According to Freedom! (tips.h.ki), Freedom!'s Heartbeat Moments product lets creators convert YouTube videos into monetised blogs under a program called OVOB, standing for "one video, one blog".
43. Freedom! states that it helps reinstate hacked, terminated, YouTube Partner Program-suspended or demonetised YouTube channels, usually within a few days, where the issue was caused by YouTube's automated systems or human review.
44. Heartbeat Moments explained Chapter of the network's own video introducing Heartbeat Moments.
45. Heartbeat Photos Chapter of the network's own video covering Heartbeat Photos.
46. Heartbeat Viki Chapter of the network's own video covering Heartbeat Viki.
47. BHAG: Big Hairy Audacious Goal Chapter of the network's own video in which the team outlines its long-term goal.
48. 2013-12-01: According to Centre for Digital Media, Vancouver, Freedom! is launched as a YouTube multi-channel network.
49. 2014-06-01: According to Freedom!, Freedom! publishes a video introducing founder and chief executive George Vanous.
50. 2016-10-13: AID Partners Technology Holdings agrees to acquire a 50.01% controlling stake in any.TV for US$60 million.
51. 2020: According to Freedom! (tips.h.ki), Freedom Games is founded.
52. 2022-11-07: Freedom Games announces a US$10 million funding round led by Play Ventures.

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