NEXT CREATIVE ERA
ANALYSIS
Why Legacy Media Will Lose the Battle for the Creator Economy
A young TMN creator during a music festival coverage. Photo by Pablo Herrera (TMN).
Twenty years ago, when I first started working in media, digital tools were just beginning to disrupt the old order. Phone cameras were clunky novelties. Social media barely existed. And legacy media—TV networks, newspapers, glossy magazines—still dominated the conversation.
My career, in both media and media education, was born from that digital shift. Today, two decades later, I feel more grateful than ever that we’ve arrived at this moment: a world where the creator economy is not just challenging, but actively replacing, legacy media.
Legacy media is still fighting to hold its ground. But it’s a battle they’re destined to lose. Here are five reasons why.
1. Egocentric Structures and Endless Layers of Gatekeepers
Legacy media is built on a tower of executives and editorial boards whose main job is to cut deals, manage mergers, and preserve old revenue streams. They may claim to care about audiences, but historically, audiences never had a real voice.
The system relied on Nielsen ratings or a handful of “acceptable” viewing options. That era is gone. Today, anyone can open YouTube or TikTok and find creators who speak directly to their interests—whether that’s indie music, niche history, or gaming analysis. These creators don’t need polished studios or million-dollar sets. They just need authenticity and a community.
Legacy media executives know this, but acknowledging it would undermine the very system that keeps them in power.
2. “Mainstream” No Longer Belongs to Cable Networks
Legacy media clings to the belief that only their content can define what’s mainstream. But “mainstream” is no longer handed down by a few powerful networks—it’s built from the bottom up.
Take creators like The Diary of a CEO, who interview world leaders and industry giants while still operating firmly within the creator economy. Millions tune in, not because a network told them to, but because the content delivers value.
Legacy networks assume their century-long history guarantees relevance. That assumption is naïve—and increasingly irrelevant.
3. Ignoring What Audiences Actually Care About
One of legacy media’s greatest blind spots is its refusal to address the issues people actually care about.
At Teens Media Network (TMN), we’ve seen this first-hand. Young audiences are no longer drawn to cookie-cutter shows from Disney or formulaic TV dramas that reflect outdated stereotypes. They want to hear voices that speak to their reality.
Audiences are no longer fooled by polished scripts or pre-approved narratives. They have endless options—and they choose authenticity over gloss.
4. Education Is Still Training Students for a Vanishing Industry
Walk into many schools today and you’ll find administrators proudly unveiling “media labs.” But what do they mean by media? Too often, it’s an outdated vision of journalism modeled after CNN or The New York Times.
The truth: the most powerful media lab already sits in students’ pockets—their phones. Yet schools ban them, missing the chance to turn these devices into tools for storytelling, creativity, and even sustainable careers.
Instead, they train students to mimic adults working in a legacy system that is already collapsing. The result? A generation unprepared for the real opportunities of the creator economy.
5. Outdated Standards No One Wants Anymore
Legacy networks still pour resources into makeup teams, wardrobes, and elaborate sets, believing these trappings matter. But 75% of Americans now get their news and stories from social media, blogs, and independent creators—people speaking directly to their communities with minimal overhead.
The old system was elitist and exclusionary. The new system is democratized, messy, and far more human. And that’s exactly why it wins.
Conclusion: The Future Belongs to Creators
When I founded TMN in 2021, it was because I saw a gap no one else seemed to care about: preparing young people for the $250 billion creator economy.
At TMN, creators learn by doing. They discover how to tell compelling stories, build an audience, and use their own devices to speak about what matters. They are not forced to mimic adults or wait for permission from gatekeepers. Instead, they grow fast, make mistakes, and find real opportunities—often within months of joining.
The beauty of this new world is that we no longer need legacy media’s approval. Twenty years ago, we had to beg executives for a few minutes of airtime. Today, creators don’t ask—they publish. And audiences, not executives, decide what matters.
The battle is already over. The creator economy has won.
A TMN Creator interviewing festivalgoers in a music festival in Barcelona.
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