YouTube is still preparing for a big push for podcasts. after hiring CEO As responsible for last year’s podcast, YouTube is now giving money to popular podcasts that want to go video.

Bloomberg Reports state that YouTube content payouts run on “$50,000 shows for individual shows and $200,000 and $300,000 for podcast networks”. The report says these “grants” are meant to help with the high costs of starting video production, which requires cameras, lighting, a studio, and a lot of other equipment you don’t need just to play audio.

We still don’t know the extent of YouTube’s podcasting plans. The project looks like another example of YouTube developing certain content vertically with a niche interface and custom branding. We’ve already seen this when a slew of gaming content on YouTube led to YouTube Gaming, when all of the company’s music deals created YouTube Music, and when kids’ content earned a “YouTube Kids” column. If your podcast follows a similar playbook, expect the YouTube Podcasts app and website, or at least a special section in the Music app.

Companies are obsessed with growth, and when it comes to traditional online video views, it’s hard to imagine YouTube growing even more. The most logical solution to producing positive user metrics is for YouTube to see more Uses For service outside of normal video views. What if more people used YouTube to listen to music or stream games? This is the thinking that brings us all together in these new sectors.

YouTube is already home to a slew of popular podcasts, and Spotify’s delightful $100 million deal to Joe Rogan Experience Remove podcasts from YouTube and make them exclusive to Spotify. It wouldn’t be surprising to see podcasts get the full vertical treatment after that.