Even prior to the onset of the pandemic, streaming services already accounted for a large share of content consumption, but over the last year, the demand for various platforms has surged to new heights.
However, while audiences watched theatrical releases via streaming services like Amazon Prime and HBO Max or attended live concerts like Verzuz — recently acquired by Triller — on Apple Music and Instagram, they didn't just consume. They ran to platforms like Twitch to create their own content.
Doug Scott, chief marketing officer at Twitch, said that the platform has grown rapidly, and its users have found a home because it provides a sense of community, allowing creators to authentically connect.
“When people come to Twitch, you might initially come for that content but when you get that Go Live notification from a streamer you love, your instinct is not to come in and just see what’s streaming. It’s to come in and just say hi," Scott told Cheddar about why users stick around.
As users continue to broadcast themselves and essentially become their own media companies, Scott said Twitch’s priority is always to remain “focused on creators” and establish spaces where their creativity can shine.
“People come to Twitch because there’s an incredible wealth of content there," he said. "There’s obviously gaming content, which we’re well known for. There’s also sports, music, just about anything people are passionate about."
An independent watchdog within the IRS reports that while taxpayer services have vastly improved, the agency is still too slow to resolve identity theft cases. And National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins says those delays are “unconscionable.” Erin M. Collins said in the report released Wednesday that overall the 2024 filing season went smoothly, though IRS delays in resolving identity theft victim assistance cases are worsening. It took nearly 19 months to resolve self-reported identity theft cases as of January, and Wednesday's report states that now it takes 22 months to resolve these cases.
Amazon.com Inc. surpassed $2 trillion in market value for the first time in afternoon trading on Wednesday. The push higher for Amazon’s stock market valuation comes a little more than a week after Nvidia hit $3 trillion and briefly became the most valuable company on Wall Street. Nvidia’s chips are used to power many AI application and its valuation has soared as a result. Amazon has also been making big investments in AI as global interest has grown in the technology. Most of the company’s focus has been on business-focused products.
Climate change doesn’t just mean more extreme weather – it also leads to billions of dollars in lost productivity, tourism, and stresses infrastructure.
