How Much Does China Pay Me to Make YouTube Videos?
Cyrus, how much money does the Communist Party of China pay you to make YouTube videos?
This is a very interesting question and I believe it says a lot about the society that we live in today. You see our world has become so political and so polarized that whenever someone speaks out and says something positive about the country of China they will be subject to public criticism.
If the person speaking out is a Chinese national, society will immediately label them as being “brainwashed”. If the person speaking out for China is someone like myself, a Caucasian man who is also an American citizen, people are trained to jump to one conclusion:
How can this American, who is supposed to be spreading democracy around the world say something positive about China? Doesn’t he realize that China is the greatest threat to the world? This foreigner must be colluding with the Communist government to spread propaganda. Two questions need to be answered in this week’s article.
What are the methods that I use to monetize my YouTube channel and most importantly am I doing it in an ethical way?
As a content creator that focuses on the country of China, I sometimes receive criticism and people that don’t agree with my opinion will inevitably ask one of three questions:
1. Are you a communist?
No, I’m not a communist. I’m an American who has traveled around the world for the last 14 years to over 60 countries and have come to the simple conclusion that our world is too unique and too diverse for only one type of government to exist. Just because I say something positive about China, doesn’t make me any less American, or imply that I don’t believe in democracy. I simply realize that China’s history, culture, and society are completely different than America’s and we need to respect the fact that our two great countries will always have differences.
2. You are a “Wu Mao 五毛”!
For those of you that don’t know…a “Wu Mao 五毛” is a Chinese internet slang for “50 cents” and refers to someone who is paid 50 cents to write favourable comments about China on the internet. The term “Wu Mao” has been thrown around so much that it isn’t really an insult anymore…foreigners who speak the truth about China actually wear it as a badge of honor. Many of us have had years of experience on the ground in China and know firsthand the version of China presented by Western media is vastly different then what’s actually happening on the ground in China.
3. How much money does the CCP pay you?
This is the ultimate question that everyone wants to know, so let’s break it down and explain exactly how I monetize my YouTube. Running a YouTube channel takes a tremendous amount of time, energy, and effort and YouTube is arguably the best social media platform in the world today because unlike other media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. YouTube rewards its creators by providing them the easiest pathway for monetization. The first monetization method almost every YouTube creator uses is the YouTube Partner Program. In order to be eligible for this program a YouTube channel needs to meet the following two requirements:
- 1,000 Subscribers to the Channel
- 4,000 Hours of Watch Time
As many of you might have seen, I do run ads on my YouTube channel and split the revenue of these ads directly with YouTube at the end of every month.
The second method of monetization I use is sponsored ads and dedicated videos from companies. As the channel has grown, I’ve received a lot of requests from companies who are interested in advertising on my YouTube channel. I don’t accept many of them but if there is a product that I can personally use and believe provides value to my subscribers I will work with this company. For example, I use a VPN every day and I’ve recently partnered with Surfshark VPN. They provide my subscribers an excellent discount and I believe this a great value to them.
The other method I use is sponsored dedicated videos. For example, one of the companies that I’ve worked with is CDS Global Cloud, an American company that is headquartered in Dallas and maintains an office in Shanghai. CDS Global Cloud helps foreign companies enter into China and solve their complex internet needs. The management team at CDS Global reached out to me and saw a partner opportunity because my channel focuses on fostering a better relationship between the United States and China, a value that this company also can align themselves too.
The final method of monetization I use is provided through the generous donations of many loyal subscribers who choose to support the channel. For example, I run a Patreon account that allows fans to set up monthly contributions. I provide my Patreon supporters exclusive access to a weekly podcast in which I share updates on my channel and discuss future video topics. In addition, I have generous supporters who donate to the channel via PayPal, Buy Me a Coffee, WeChat QR code, and also Bitcoin.
I would like to make sure that everyone understands these are the only three methods I use to monetize my channel on YouTube. I am not paid by any organization to create specific content. If you’ve watched any of my videos on YouTube you know that I love America and I love China, and I want these two superpowers to have a better relationship with each other. Similar to the one I witnessed when I first went to China in 2007 and both the American and Chinese economies were booming as a direct result of a growing relationship. I truly believe when the US and China work together, it will have a trickle down effect and improve the lives of every single person on this planet. This is what my channel is dedicated to and the primary motivation I use to work relentlessly hard on writing scripts, filming videos, and spending my personal time speaking out for peace and cooperation.
But Cyrus what about your appearances in Chinese state media? You’ve been featured on CGTN television, a television station that is owned and operated by the communist party! How are you not colluding with the Chinese government? What about the fact that Shenzhen Daily, one of China’s leading English newspapers recently wrote a full-page article about you? How much money does China’s government pay you for these appearances?
CGTN is one of China’s largest television networks and yes, it is operated by the Chinese government. Over the past 12 months I’ve been a featured guest on CGTN’s “The Point with Liu Xin” 5 separate occasions and was simply invited to share my opinion on various matter related to the US/China relationship. However, I have never been compensated by CGTN for my appearance on the show, in addition I was never instructed, “Cyrus you must say this on the show, and you can’t say that on the show.” They genuinely wanted my opinion as an American expat who studies US/China relations.
In addition, during one of the shows I was featured with another fellow American, a former CIA Officer Glenn Carle, and this is what he had to say on the show:
“The success of the (Chinese) government in controlling the virus, of course is notable.
What I’m about to say may sound ironic coming from a CIA Officer, where my profession, my job was serve my nation’s best interests…..there is a way forward, and that is a multilateral approach to various issues.”
- Glenn Carle, Former CIA Officer
Glenn Carle went on to criticize President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the WHO during the middle of Global Health Crisis and preached a similar message that I do….when it comes to a global pandemic like Covid 19, China and America need to work together. He highlighted the RCEP agreement is a positive step forward. Carle went on to add that multilateral agreements is the only way to avoid clashes!
Full Video of Glenn Carle, myself, and CGTN’s Liu Xin below:
In conclusion, let me answer that important question once more….”How much money does China’s government pay me to make content? Absolutely nothing…over the past 12 months we have seen a tremendous increase in the amount of independent content creators who have started YouTube channels talking about China.
Current and former China expats like myself have reached a tipping point. We are tired of the China bashing and tired of how China is always portrayed in a negative light in Western media. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again. My favorite network to learn about the real China is LinkedIn. I have a network of over 2,000 professionals, most of whom are on the ground in China, doing business and forging better relationships with one of the fastest growing markets in the world.
Doing business in China is not taboo, speaking out for a better relationship with China is not something that should frowned upon, in fact it is something that should be encouraged. The United States government is going down a path that inevitably will lead to conflict and war. I don’t agree with this trajectory and I’m going to continue leveraging my channel for peace and cooperation. The future generations of the world depend on a better relationship between the US and China, and this is what I am fighting for. I’ll conclude this week’s article with my new favourite quote:
“It doesn’t take any bravery to be a China hawk today. It takes bravery to not be one.”
For a video version of this week’s article, please see the link below:
Thanks for sharing your prospective on these issues from China to the western world, may we have eternal peace & harmony.