Hollywood Guilds Make Historic Push to Unionize YouTube Content Studio Theorist Media (Exclusive)

In 2025, many Hollywood unions are facing existential questions about how to survive in a rapidly changing media environment. As film and television studios consolidate and cut costs, opportunities are diminishing for organized labor in traditional Hollywood — while the balance of power in entertainment is shifting toward predominantly non-union spaces like YouTube and TikTok.

A new organizing drive from the Motion Picture Editors Guild and the Writers Guild of America West strives to make inroads in the exploding creator economy. The labor groups are attempting to unionize Theorist Media, the digital media production company behind popular YouTube channels like The Game Theorists, The Food Theorists, The Film Theorists and others, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

The unions are targeting more than two dozen workers who edit, write and produce the shows, as well as create thumbnails and hone sound design. Beyond YouTube, Theorist also streams some of its work on Twitch.