Jason Calacanis on CNBC Squawk Alley 5/17/16: $80b YouTube, amazing Amazon Echo / Alexa

TL;DR

YouTube is estimated to be worth $80 billion, with 30 billion daily video views, making it a highly valuable media acquisition. Meanwhile, Amazon faces pressure to stop selling Trump-related products as its annual shareholder meeting kicks off.

Transcript

also joining us this morning early uber investor Jason Calacanis Jason good to see you this morning a lot to get to today first time here how much is YouTube worth a new note over at Bernstein puts the price tag on the video service at 80 billion dollars the note estimates that 30 billion daily video views with each user spending an average of fort... Read More

Key Insights

• 🫵 YouTube is a highly valuable platform, with an estimated worth of $80 billion, making it the largest music streaming service with billions of daily views.
• 😌 Its success lies in the high user engagement, with people spending an average of 40 minutes a day on the site.
• 🎮 YouTube's potential for targeted advertising and the combination of video and music streaming make it a lucrative investment.
• ✋ Activists are pressuring Amazon to stop selling Trump-related products, highlighting the intersection of politics and business.
• 💨 The launch of Amazon's Alexa, an AI-based voice-controlled speaker system, has the potential to disrupt the enterprise market and change the way we interact with technology.
• 📱 Privacy concerns arise with devices like Alexa, but it is argued that privacy is already compromised with smartphones and other technologies.
• 🤗 The open platform of Alexa allows for innovation and the emergence of startups based on its platform, which can revolutionize various industries.

Questions & Answers

Q: How much is YouTube estimated to be worth and why?

YouTube is estimated to be worth $80 billion due to its massive daily video views and high user engagement. It is also considered the largest music streaming service in the world.

Q: Is YouTube's estimated worth accurate?

While some question the estimation, YouTube's success and revenue potential make it highly valuable. Its growth and ability to monetize through targeted advertising make it a worthwhile investment for Google.

Q: Should YouTube be separate from Google's ad network?

Some argue that YouTube should have its own balance sheet and be more transparent, while others believe it should be kept under Google's ad network to provide a seamless experience for advertisers.

Q: Why is Amazon facing pressure to stop selling Trump-related products?

Activists, specifically Ultraviolet, are calling for a boycott of Trump's products on Amazon's website due to concerns about sexism. They believe that Amazon should not support political figures who promote discrimination.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• YouTube is estimated to be worth $80 billion with 30 billion daily video views, making it the largest music streaming service with 18.5 billion daily views.

• There is speculation that YouTube may eventually be more valuable to Google than its search franchise, due to the high user engagement and potential for targeted advertising.

• Google wants to keep YouTube under its ad network, although some argue that it should have its own balance sheet.

• Amazon is facing pressure to stop selling Trump-related products on its website, with activists calling for a boycott and flyovers during the shareholder meeting.