Tubi, Fox’s free ad-supported streaming service, is tapping into the creator economy in a bigger way — bringing in former TikTok executive Kudzi Chikumbu to lead the charge.
Chikumbu, who served as global head of creator marketing at TikTok, steps in as Tubi’s new vice president of creator partnerships. In the role, he’ll work to bring more original stories from social media creators to the streamer’s growing library.
The hire comes as Tubi strikes deals with some of the biggest names in the creator space, including Jimmy Donaldson (aka MrBeast), Alan’s Universe, Jomboy Media, CelinaSpookyBoo, and Steven He.
MrBeast, who has over 421 million subscribers across platforms, will bring seasons six through eight of his wildly popular YouTube content — covering videos from 2023 to 2025 — to Tubi. This adds to his existing live channel on the platform, which launched in 2023. Sports venture Jomboy Media will deliver fan-favorite shows Talkin’ Baseball and Talkin’ Yanks, while CelinaSpookyBoo will debut a long-form spooky series.
Tubi currently boasts over 100 million monthly active users and already features more than 5,000 episodes from creators.
“We’re committed to building a bridge to Hollywood for creators to help them reach new audiences,” said Rich Bloom, general manager of creator programs & EVP of business development at Tubi. “Kudzi is a leader with deep roots in the creator economy. His unique perspective and proven track record make him the ideal person to partner with me to lead our ambitious efforts in digital-first, creator-driven entertainment.”
Chikumbu added, “I’m thrilled to join Tubi at a time when creators are redefining entertainment. Tubi’s dedication to empowering creators with creative freedom and meaningful incremental audience reach is unmatched, and I’m excited to bring fresh, bold, and authentic storytelling to their passionate viewers.”