the journey starts today music video

The Journey Starts Today

The Journey Starts Today is the opening theme song for the English dub of the twenty-third season , Pokémon Journeys: The Series . It was used from Enter Pikachu! to A Close Call... Practically! . The opening animation is composed of clips from the first version of the Pokémon Journeys: The Series Japanese opening, One, Two, Three , and various Pokémon Journeys: The Series episodes, while the ending animation is composed of clips from the first Pokémon Journeys: The Series Japanese ending, Pokémon Shiritori .

The full version of the song was released digitally on iTunes , Google Play , Amazon , Spotify , Apple Music , Amazon Music , YouTube , YouTube Music , Google Play Music , Pandora , Napster , Deezer , and Tidal on June 12, 2020.

• 1.1 TV version
• 1.2 Full version
• 2.2 Pokémon
• 3 Opening animation spoilers
• 6 In other languages
• 7 External links

It's a big big world, but you know where to find me We'll be together and we're gonna do it our way We'll discover we believe in each other On adventures with my friends like every day And we're already on our way The journey starts today! (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) The journey starts today! (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) The journey starts today

Full version

The journey starts today! (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) The journey starts today! (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) It's a big big world, but you know where to find me We'll be together and we're gonna do it our way We'll discover we believe in each other On adventures with my friends like every day Dawns [ sic ] rising over the horizon To shine a light on what the day ahead is hiding We'll stick together leaping into the deep-end The adventure only ends when another begins And we're already on our way The journey starts today! (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) The journey starts today! (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) Far from home but we're never feeling lonely Headstrong stepping headlong into the dark Hold on cause we're heading there on our own Whatever happens, in the end, will forever be changed Imitate us but you won't intimidate us We keep em' [ sic ] looking for another way to break us Because we know if there's a will there's a way back up Win or lose we can choose to be never the same And we're already on our way The journey starts today! (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) The journey starts today! (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) If I lose my grip will you be there to pick me up If I gotta run will you be coming with me up Cause I got your back and you got mine And there's nothing that can stop us now If all else fails, will you help me when I lose my way Set your sails, to be ready for the winds of change Cause the journey starts today! (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) The journey starts today! (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) The journey starts today! (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) The journey starts today! (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) The journey starts today! (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) The journey starts today! (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) The journey starts today

• Pikachu ( Ash's )
• Meowth ( Team Rocket )
• Wobbuffet ( Jessie's )
• Scorbunny ( Goh's )
• Yamper ( Professor Cerise's )
• Raichu ( Alolan form )
• Exeggutor ( Alolan form )
• Corviknight

Opening animation spoilers

• Goh catches a Scorbunny .

• This is the first English opening theme without the lyric "Pokémon" in it.
• A sing-a-long version of the song's music video was uploaded to the official Pokémon YouTube channel on June 22, 2020.
• This is the first opening theme to have its credits translated into German . The Pokémon TV version of the episode retains the English credits.
• In the English dub , only Gianni Luminati and Sarah Blackwood are credited for the song. This was fixed in other language dubs and from A Festival Reunion! to Betrayed, Bothered, and Beleaguered! in the English dub, where the song is also credited as being written by Tokyo Speirs.
• Croatian , since OP14
• Hungarian , since OP12
• Arabic , since OP03
• The opening credits erroneously credit Shuhei Yasuda as "Series Construction" instead of "Character Design".

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• English opening themes

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The Journey Starts Today

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• 1.1 TV size
• 1.2 Full version
• 2.2 Pokémon

TV size [ ]

♪ It's a big big world, but you know where to find me We'll be together and we're gonna do it our way

We'll discover we believe in each other On adventures with my friends like every day

And we're already on our way The journey starts today! (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) The journey starts today! (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH)

The journey starts today! ♪

Full version [ ]

♪ The journey starts today! (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) The journey starts today! (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH)

It's a really big world but you know where to find me We'll be together and we're gonna do it our way We'll discover we believe in each other On adventures with my friends like, every day Dawn's rising over the horizon To shine a light on what the day ahead is hiding We'll stick together, leaping into the deep end The adventure only ends when another begins

And we're already on our way The journey starts today! (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH)

The journey starts today! (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH)

Far from home, but we're never feeling lonely Headstrong, stepping headlong into the dark Hold on 'cause we're heading there on our own Whatever happens, in the end, we'll forever be changed Imitate us, but you won't intimidate us We keep 'em looking for another way to break us Because we know if there's a will, there's a way back up Win or lose, we can choose to be never the same

If I lose my grip, will you be there to pick me up?

If I gotta run, will you be coming with me up?

'Cause I got your back and you got mine And there's nothing that can stop us now If all else fails Will you help me when I lose my way?

Set your sails To be ready for the winds of change

'Cause the journey starts today! (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH) (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH)

The journey starts today! (OHHHHHHHH OH OH OH OH OH OH)

Appearances [ ]

• Ash Ketchum

Pokémon [ ]

• Ash's Pikachu
• Goh's Scorbunny
• Professor Cerise's Yamper
• Lugia (Journeys)
• Jessie's Wobbuffet
• Team Rocket's Meowth
• Corviknight
• Various Pokémon
• It is also the first English opening theme song to be performed by a Canadian band.
• It contains scenes from One, Two, Three , " Legend? Go! Friends? Go! " and " Ivysaur's Mysterious Tower ".
• The theme song had scenes that never happened in the show like, Scorbunny battling Corvknight, Goh and Ash running down a street with Pikachu and Scorbunny.
• The theme song didn't update until the Pokémon Master version.

• 2 Legendary Pokémon
• 3 Ash Ketchum

Walk of the Earth - The Journey Starts Today Lyrics

Pokémon journeys: the series english opening theme lyrics.

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The Journey Starts Today ( Theme From Pokémon Journeys)

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Composing the Trial Chambers

Meet the musicians behind the 1.21 Update soundtrack!

What melody captures the moment of meeting a breeze for the first time? And what does successfully navigating a trap-filled trial chamber sound like?

Take a musical journey into the trial chambers and listen to the Tricky Trials album on your favorite streaming platform – today! In fact, why not listen along as we speak to the three composers behind these beautiful tracks : Kumi Tanioka, Lena Raine, and Aaron Cherof to understand what composing for a game like Minecraft is like, what inspired them, what challenged them, and more!

A musical journey into the trial chambers 

Trial chambers are a very special feature of the Tricky Trials Update not just because they’re full of traps, tricks, and treasure; but because each trial chamber you find will have a different layout, different mobs to do battle with, and different challenges to face!  

“Keeping the trial chambers in mind framed my entire composition process. Especially “Deeper”, which felt like a piece closely tied to my visualization of the trial chambers: new colors, materials, and a sense of intentional design in an otherwise chaotic space.” – Lena Raine

Lena Raine is no stranger to challenges. Having gained her degree in composition, Lena struggled to break into music, and instead focused her early career on her love of game design. Later, she was able to combine her passions for composing and video games by writing the music for Celeste. Since then, she’s composed music for several video games, including Minecraft! Composing for the Tricky Trials Update proved a little challenging for Lena, too as she wanted to do something she’d not tried before: 

“I was determined to try out some new sounds for “Deeper”, but nothing I did seemed to work. I spent two days recording, but I didn't like where it was going. So I made the radical decision to scrap everything and start again (which was really tough after 2 days of work!) What I ended up with, however, ended up becoming one of my favorite tracks. “Deeper” isn’t as dark as some of the Nether tracks, but it speaks to a slightly darker side of the Overworld, and evokes a feeling of constrained darkness.” Lena Raine

Aaron Cherof , who has been composing for games for fifteen years and worked on the soundtrack for the Trails & Tales Update, used darkness in a different way in his composition process – by creating one of his tracks while sleeping. This is a level of multitasking I can only dream of – and even then it doesn’t happen!  

I’ve been composing for a long time, but having a musical idea come to me in a dream is something that’s only happened twice in my entire life! “Watcher” had been rattling around unfinished in my head for a while, so it spent a lot more time “in the oven” than my typical songs. Working on this update was the inspiration I’d needed to give “Watcher” form, and finish it! It’s pretty magical to hear it out in the world after being trapped in my head for so long!” – Aaron Cherof

Kumi Tanioka worked at Square Enix until 2009 before going freelance, and now as well as composing music for a variety of games (including Minecraft!) she publishes her own original albums, and performs her music live. For Kumi, the challenge of creating music for the Tricky Trials soundtrack was all about trying to find a perfect balance, not just for her but for Minecraft fans who create their own worlds within the game.

“I never want to destroy the world that Minecraft fans have in their minds, and I also want to express my own feelings in the music, too. Finding the balance between how far to go and where to restrain myself while also making Minecraft fans happy was difficult!” Kumi Tanioka

A Chorus of New Challenges 

"I hope players can enjoy a feeling of nostalgia even when listening to songs they’ve never heard before as they embark on an adventure through the unknown." - Aaron Cherof

I’ve never thought of myself as a competent combat player, but for this update I’m determined to give the trial chambers my best shot, and clasp my blocky hands around one of the smashing new weapons: the mace! Of course it’ll probably take me hundreds of attempts and lots of broken armor, but you know what they say! If at first you don’t succeed, run away screaming try, try again. 

Kumi Tanioka tried something new in her composition process, too – to surprising ends!

“For the first time,  I used an instrument called aquarion  [a glass xylophone]. I love the sound of the piano, so I really wanted to use its tone, but I had been struggling to express something new with only the piano. Then I heard the aquarion, and the instrument really resonated with me. I immediately thought of a motif for a Minecraft song! Another track, “pokopoko”,  includes a new sound that we created using a bamboo instrument . It’s a simple but warm tone, and it allowed me to approach the world of Minecraft from a different perspective.” Kumi Tanioka

I think I might try and learn from Kumi, and approach the trial chambers from a different perspective, too. Perhaps the breeze just wants to be my friend? And if that’s the case, then maybe I shouldn’t thwack it with a sword? Sure, befriending the breeze wouldn’t be a conventional way of trying to get a trial key, but according to Lena Raine sometimes breaking with convention is sometimes a good thing.

“There are a lot of composers playing with microtonal compositions, or breaking from western tonality. As a composer who primarily works within conventional harmony, I've always wanted to try writing less "normal"-sounding music, and I played a lot with a sense of tuning in the second half of 'Endless'. I wanted to toy with the perception of tonality (which instrument feels out of tune with which?) and was pleasantly surprised by the result!” – Lena Raine

Unexpected Surprises

The mace is one of the new weapons coming as part of the 1.21 Update!

Aaron Cherof understands the trepidation and excitement of approaching a new challenge. When composing the track for one of the music discs, breaking new ground dirt blocks was something really important to him. 

“Without spoiling it for players who haven’t discovered it yet, the music disc was really exciting, as well as being unknown territory for me. My goal was to write something that hadn’t been explored musically within the world of Minecraft before. Inspired by some of my favorite music, I tried to filter that through a different lens. In the end, I hope the music disc track can also inspire players to try venturing into unfamiliar waters on their own creative journeys!” Aaron Cherof

Consider me inspired, Aaron! On top of claiming the mace and befriending the breeze, I’ll now be going on a hunt for the music discs included in this update so I can bring the feeling of the trial chambers home with me, starting with the wonder you feel when you first uncover that rectangular structure deep underground. This quiet sense of amazement is something Kumi Tanioka wanted to preserve in her compositions, too: 

“These songs are for listeners who love the Minecraft universe, who love Minecraft music, and while of course you can listen to my songs separately as a soundtrack, I hope that you will take some time to listen to my music while playing. I wrote my songs in the hope that players who are on a journey inside Minecraft will not wake up from that dream world. On the contrary, I hope the music will help them immerse themselves in their Minecraft world even further, and enjoy it even more.” - Kumi Tanioka

Hypnotizing melodies 

Kumi Tanioka’s music is so dreamy that I can find myself utterly hypnotized while mining for resources (I want all the new decorative blocks coming with the Tricky Trials Update!). Of course mindless mining can be a little dangerous in the trial chambers, especially if you stumble across a trial spawner! Then things get tense really quickly , something Lena Raine has tried to weave into her music.

“One of my favorite things to do in ambient music is to have this sense of tension bursting at the seams. I put some explosive processing on a track, while holding it back with gating, only letting it out occasionally. This creates a wonderful sense of tension where suddenly an unexpected 'scream' comes from the synth before it ducks down again, giving you an uncertain surprise!” Aaron Cherof

This update is filled with surprises , from the breeze’s wind charges triggering everything from switches to tripwires, to the way enemies scale based on the size of your adventuring party! Aaron Cherof dropped a few surprises into his compositions too, in celebration of Minecraft turning a very big number: 

“ It’s Minecraft’s 15-year anniversary this year , and I wanted to celebrate that by using mostly minimalistic instrumentation. Piano has always been at the heart of Minecraft music, and many of the songs I wrote for Tricky Trials have piano at their core – along with a few extra surprises along the way for listeners. I hope players can enjoy a feeling of nostalgia even when listening to songs they’ve never heard before as they embark on an adventure through the unknown!” – Aaron Cherof

"I never thought I would be part of building the Minecraft world again, so I feel very honored to have been able to create these three songs." – Kumi Tanioka

What's your favorite track?

Asking a composer to pick their favorite track is a bit like asking me to pick my favorite wolf variation – impossible! But of course I asked them anyway.  

“Of course, I like all three songs because I put my heart and soul into them, but I especially like “ pokopoko ”. In this track I wanted to express a bird's-eye view of the world of Minecraft while delving a little more freely into it. To craft “pokopoko”, I travelled throughout the Overworld, listening to all the great Minecraft music as I explored , and then I imagined the world I wanted to express.” – Kumi Tanioka

"It’s hard to pick a favorite! But I think if I had to narrow it down to one, it’d be “Featherfall”. I love the journey of the song, and the simplicity of the duet between the piano and music box at the heart of it. I fell in love with the melody while writing it, and I think I could live in the coda of the song forever." – Aaron Cherof

“’ Deeper ’ really sticks out for me. Perhaps because it's a bit of a weird one in terms of how I came up with it, because I had to throw away two days’ work and start from scratch! On my second attempt, I started with a glitched-out piano synth which can be heard after the intro, before it goes into the main groove. The way it cuts up the rhythm into different rhythmic groupings was really inspiring to start playing with polyrhythms and build up the mood. I also played with the processing on the synths to create this wonderful sense of tension.” – Lena Raine 

What’s your favorite track of the Tricky Trials album ? Listen to it today on Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you like to listen! 

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The Secret Push That Could Ban TikTok

U.s. lawmakers have long worried that the chinese government could use the app to spread propaganda..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

From “The New York Times,” I’m Sabrina Tavernise. And this is “The Daily.”

[THEME MUSIC]

American lawmakers have tried for years to ban the video app TikTok over concerns that its ties to China pose a national security risk. Last week, they passed a law that might finally do it. Today, my colleague, Sapna Maheshwari, on the secret effort behind the law and what a ban would mean for the company’s 170 million American users.

It’s Tuesday, April 30.

So Sapna, tell me about this law that just passed that potentially bans the social media app TikTok. We’ve seen efforts in the past to rein in TikTok, but this one really seems like the most substantial yet.

It’s a huge deal. What this law really does is it puts the future of this hugely popular app with 170 million American users into question. TikTok has reshaped the way many people listen to music. It’s changed the way we cook. It’s made a whole different kind of celebrity.

But it’s never been able to shake these concerns around the fact that it has really close ties to China. It’s owned by a Chinese company, ByteDance. And lawmakers, for years, have been worried that the Chinese government could somehow use ByteDance and TikTok to get information on Americans or possibly spread propaganda.

President Trump tried to ban it in 2020. The State of Montana tried to ban this app last year. TikTok has largely survived those challenges, but this time it could actually be banned in the United States.

So let’s talk about this. Why did this effort succeed where the other ones failed?

So it’s an interesting story.

Here we go.

The committee will come to order.

And it really dates back to this hearing about a year ago that Congress had with Shou Chew, the CEO of TikTok.

Mr. Chew, you are here because the American people need the truth about the threat TikTok poses to our national and personal security.

Members of the committee, thank you for your time.

— TikTok has repeatedly said that it has addressed these national security concerns and that there’s no issue here. And you can hear that when Shou Chew testified.

Let me start by addressing a few misconceptions about ByteDance of which we are a subsidiary. ByteDance is not owned or controlled by the Chinese government.

He’s saying American investors are behind ByteDance.

Now, TikTok itself is not available in mainland China. We’re headquartered in Los Angeles and in Singapore.

And I myself am Singaporean. I live in Singapore.

The bottom line is this — American data, stored on American soil, by an American company, overseen by American personnel.

And we are actually going above and beyond what American technology companies do to keep things safe.

And I look forward to your questions. Thank you very much.

And is Congress convinced by that?

Congress is not convinced by that.

ByteDance is a Chinese company?

Well, ByteDance owns many businesses that operates in China.

Is it or is it not a Chinese company?

Congressman, the way we look at it, it was founded by Chinese entrepreneurs.

No, no, no, no. I’m not asking how you look at it. Fact, is it a Chinese company or not? For example, Dell is a company —

It was this really fiery, five-hour hearing, where Republicans and Democrats asked really contentious questions.

We do not promote or remove content at the request of the Chinese government. Will you repeat —

The question is, are you percent certain that they cannot use your company to promote such messages?

It is our commitment to this committee and all our users that we will keep this free from any manipulation by any government.

OK. If you can’t say it 100 percent certain I take that as a no.

There’s this underlying sense of distrust around the company and its ties to China.

I will remind you that making false or misleading statements to Congress is a federal crime.

I understand. Again, you can go on our platform. You will find that content.

And it becomes clear through the hearing that, across the board, Republicans and Democrats largely feel the same way.

Mr. Chew, I got to hand it to you. You’ve actually done something that in the last three to four years has not happened except for the exception of maybe Vladimir Putin. You have unified Republicans and Democrats.

So within weeks of this hearing, this small group of lawmakers gets together. And they say, let’s come up with a law that works where all the other ones have failed and actually make TikTok answer to its Chinese connections once and for all.

So tell me about this small group of lawmakers. Who are they?

So it starts with Republicans. Among them is Steve Scalise, one of the most powerful Republicans in the House. And a small group sort of works together for a few months, but they realize that in order to really make this law work, they’re going to need Democrats. So they end up working through this House Committee that’s focused on China and competition. And this is where the bulk of the work on this bill takes place.

And just to note, this is a really small group. There’s less than 20 key players who are working on this. And all throughout, they are keeping this very, very secret.

And why exactly are they keeping it secret? What’s the point of that?

So this group really wanted to keep this out of the eyes of TikTok, which has a huge lobbying presence in DC, and has successfully worked to kill bills that targeted TikTok in the past. And what they’re really doing is looking at all of the past efforts to either force a sale or a ban of TikTok, and trying to work their way through why those plans didn’t succeed and what they can do differently.

But while the lawmakers are working on this bill, something big happens that kind of changes the politics around it. And that’s October 7.

Your social media feeds are unique to you, but could they be shaping how you view the Israel-Gaza War? The BBC’s —

As the war breaks out and people start getting information about it, a lot of people are getting information about the Israel-Hamas War on TikTok, especially young people.

Social media algorithms seem to be driving some users towards increasingly divisive posts —

And there’s this big messy argument spilling out into living rooms and all over the internet, and, of course on TikTok. And it’s getting very heated. For instance, there’s this moment in the fall where a bunch of TikTok users start sharing this old manifesto.

I read Osama bin Laden’s “Letter to America.”

It’s wild, and everyone should read it.

Go read “A Letter to America.” Seriously, go read it.

That was actually written by Osama bin Laden, defending the 9/11 attacks and criticizing the United States’ support of Israel. TikTok users start trying to tie it to the modern day conflict.

Reading this letter, it becomes apparent to me that the actions of 9/11 were all just the buildup of our government failing other nations.

The way this letter is going viral right now is giving me the greatest sense of relief. Now it’s all coming to light because of Palestine.

And there’s these accusations that TikTok may be promoting one side of the conflict over the other. And a couple of researchers look at hashtags around Palestine, and they say that the data they pulled shows that TikTok is showing way more pro-Palestine videos and not so much for Israel. And this sets off huge alarm bells for this small group of lawmakers.

But isn’t that just a function of the fact that TikTok, at this point, is the public square in the United States for young people? I mean, this is what young people were talking about, and this is where they’re doing the talking.

TikTok has pushed back really forcefully against these accusations. They said that Gallup polls show that young people view Israel differently than older generations. They say that they’re not the ones influencing what people post, that the hashtags and the videos are a reflection of the user base and nothing that they’re doing to influence.

But for lawmakers, this doesn’t really make their concerns go away. Instead, this conflict shows them how TikTok could be used to spread propaganda. It made lawmakers feel that TikTok could be really dangerous when it comes to shaping the views of Americans on foreign policy, on US elections. And what it also does is, it provides this driving force to this group that’s drafting this bill. And they suddenly see that this might be a way to bring more people into their effort.

And so heading into November against this backdrop, they even bring in the White House and the Justice Department to help work on this bill. And with the White House, they want to make sure that this is a bill that the president will support. And they work with the Justice Department to shore up the language in the bill to help defend against court challenges.

Because the Justice Department, of course, would be the one that would have to defend the bill, right?

That’s exactly right. And so they’re trying to make it as rock solid as possible so that they can win in court when TikTok challenges this law. And so March rolls around, and they decide that it’s time to unveil this bill that they’ve been working on for close to a year.

The battle over TikTok on Capitol Hill is intensifying.

This morning, House lawmakers have agreed unanimously to move a bill to a full floor vote.

And TikTok is caught completely flat footed. They didn’t see this coming. And this is just what the group wanted. So TikTok has this army of lobbyists that’s suddenly scrambling. And they go into damage control mode. They start reaching out to members of Congress.

This app is so much more than just an app for dumb TikTok dances.

They fly a group of TikTok stars and small businesses to come to DC —

This is a life-changing apps.

— and lobby on the steps of the Capitol and meet with lawmakers.

Standing up here with all these amazing TikTokers behind me is a complete honor, and every single one of them would voice their opinion just like this. This is how we feel. This has to stop.

They set up interviews between these TikTok creators, as they’re known, and big TV shows and news programs. And they’re doing everything they can to fight against this bill before it goes any further. And then they decide to do something unusual, which is use TikTok itself to try and derail this bill.

How exactly do they do that?

So days after this bill is announced, a ton of TikTok users get a message when they open the TikTok app that basically says, call Congress and tell them not to ban TikTok.

Hmm. OK. So like, literally this window comes up and says, call Congress. Here you go.

Exactly. You can enter your zip code, and there’s a button that appears. And you can press it, and the call goes straight to your representative.

So offices are quickly overwhelmed by calls. And TikTok sent out this message to users on the same day that a House committee is going into vote on this bill and whether to move it forward. And so the stunt happens. They go into vote, and they come out, and it’s 50 to 0 in support of the bill.

One of the representatives who worked on the bill said that this stunt by TikTok turned a lot of no’s into yeses and yeses into, quote, “hell yeses.”

[LAUGHS]: so the whole episode sounds like it actually backfired, right? Like, TikTok’s stunt essentially just confirmed what was the deepest fears of lawmakers about this company, that the app could be used to influence American politics.

That’s definitely how a lot of lawmakers viewed it. And when this bill is brought to the full House a week later, it passes by an overwhelming majority. And weeks later, it passes in the Senate as part of a broader aid package. And on Wednesday, it’s signed into law by President Biden.

But now the question is, what does it mean? Like, how will this actually work? And how will it affect the tens of millions of Americans who use TikTok every day?

[MUSIC PLAYING]

We’ll be right back.

So Sapna, now that Biden has signed this bill, what does it actually mean in practice for TikTok? What does the law do?

So the law is really trying to push ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, to sell to a non-Chinese owner. And the company basically has nine months for this sale to happen. There’s an option for President Biden to add another three months to that clock. And if the company doesn’t find a buyer or refuses to be sold, it will be banned.

And what would a ban actually mean, Sapna? I mean, people would still have the app on their phones, right? So it wouldn’t disappear overnight.

Yeah, no one’s coming to pick up your phone and to forcibly delete this thing. What the law says is that app stores and web hosting services wouldn’t be allowed to carry TikTok anymore. So basically, it would kind of die a slow death over time, where it wouldn’t be updated and just kind of peter out.

So the bottom line here is that the clock has started on this potential sale, right? They have 12 months to find a buyer. So what are the obstacles here? I mean, it sounds pretty ferociously complicated.

There’s a ton of challenges here. And it’s a very messy choose-your-own adventure. So one of the first big questions is who could buy this?

ByteDance and TikTok are private. We don’t know their financials. But analysts estimate that it will cost tens of billions of dollars. That narrows the buying pool pretty quickly. And a lot of the companies that could afford to buy it, like Meta, the owner of Facebook, or Google, which owns YouTube, would probably be kicked out of the running because they are simply too big. Regulators would say, you already own these big apps. You can’t possibly add this to your stable.

There’d be a monopoly concern there.

Exactly. And then, there’s a lot of questions around how this would work, technically. ByteDance and TikTok are very much global organizations. You have the CEO in Singapore. They have huge operations in Ireland. They have this big workforce in the US. And of course, they do have engineers in China.

So how do you extract all those things, make it all work? It’s a very big international transaction.

And then there is the chance that the Chinese government blocks this sale and says, you cannot do this, ByteDance. We will not allow it.

So Sapna, how does that actually work, though, in terms of China? I mean, can China actually just ban the sale of this company? I mean, it is a private company after all, right?

Well, here’s one way it could work. The Chinese government could block the export of TikTok’s algorithm. And let me explain that in kind of plain English.

They could basically block the technology that fuels the TikTokiness of this app, the recommendations, the magic of it, why you see what you see when you’re looking at TikTok.

TikTokiness, is that an adjective?

That is now an adjective.

[LAUGHS]: Nice.

And there’s a chance that Beijing could say, hey, you can’t export this technology. That is proprietary. And if that happens, that suddenly makes TikTok way, way less valuable.

So the Chinese government could let the sale go through potentially, but as a kind of an empty shell, right? The thing that makes TikTok TikTok, the algorithm, wouldn’t be part of the company. So that probably isn’t very appealing for a potential buyer.

Exactly. And I mean, the role of the Chinese government here is really interesting. I’ve talked to experts who say, well, if the Chinese government interferes to try and block a sale of this app, doesn’t that underscore and prove all the concerns that have been expressed by American lawmakers?

If you’re worried about China being in control of this thing, well, that just confirmed your fears.

Exactly. And I mean, it’s an interesting thing that ByteDance and TikTok have to grapple with.

So bottom line here — selling TikTok is quite complicated, and perhaps not even possible for these reasons that you’re giving, right? I mean, not least of which because the Chinese government might not allow the algorithm to leave the country. And that’s not something that the US Congress has a lot of control over.

So is this law fundamentally just a ban, then?

That’s what TikTok is calling it. Right after this bill was signed into law on Wednesday —

Make no mistake, this is a ban, a ban on TikTok and a ban on you and your voice.

— Tiktok’s CEO made a TikTok — what else?— that explained the company’s position.

Because the freedom of expression on TikTok reflects the same American values that make the United States a beacon of freedom.

He actually argued that TikTok reflects American values.

TikTok gives everyday Americans a powerful way to be seen and heard. And that’s why so many people have made TikTok part of their daily lives.

And he said that this law infringes on the First Amendment free speech rights of Americans who love it and who use it every day.

The facts and the Constitution are on our side, and we expect to prevail again.

So it’s very clear that TikTok plans to challenge this law in court. And the court fight to follow will determine the fate of TikTok’s future in the US.

So is that First Amendment argument that the TikTok CEO is making here going to work?

Nobody wants to put money on that. I mean, the company is really approaching this with the idea that the First Amendment rights of Americans are being infringed on. But if you remember, the government has been working on this law. They’ve been anticipating those challenges. And they can justify an infringing of First Amendment rights in certain cases, including with national security concerns. And so it’ll be up to a judge on whether those concerns pass muster and justify this sale and even a potential ban of TikTok.

Got it. So TikTok will argue free speech, First Amendment. And the government will counter by saying, look, this is about China. This is about America’s national security interests.

That’s right. And the legal experts that I’ve spoken with say this is a really big and sticky area of the law, and it’s a huge case. And they really think that this will go to the Supreme Court, regardless of who wins in the first round of this.

So where does that leave the millions of Americans who use TikTok, and many of them, of course, who earn a living on the platform?

I mean, it’s really uncertain what happens now with the company, and the clock has started ticking. When I’ve looked at TikTok and looked at videos from users —

This is about the impending TikTok ban. And it just triggered me so much. It makes my blood boil, and I have to get this out there.

There’s a lot of shock —

The most success I’ve had has been here on TikTok, and now they’re trying to take it away.

This is so stupid!

— and anger.

You can’t ban apps! You can’t ban things from people!

People are confused.

Word on the street is that in the next 9 to 12 months, TikTok could be banned.

And they’re also caught a bit off guard, just because there have been these years of efforts to do something about TikTok. People on the app have been hearing about a TikTok ban, really, since 2020.

The government can take away a literal app on our phones, and we’re supposed to believe we’re free?

A few TikTokers have said, how can this be the thing that the government is pushing through so quickly?

Can we stop funding a genocide? No. Can we get free COVID tests? No. Can we stop killing the planet? No. Can we at least watch videos on an app of people doing fun things and learn about the world around us? No.

So there’s this sense of distrust and disappointment for many people who love this app.

We got rid of TikTok. You’re welcome. Protecting you from China. You know that phone was made in China. Ah!

And I think there’s also this question, too, around what about TikTok makes it so harmful? Even though it has increasingly become a place for news, there’s plenty of people who simply use this app for entertainment. And what they’re seeing out of Washington just doesn’t square with the reality they experience when they pull out their phones.

And I wonder, Sapna, I mean, just kind of stepping back for a second, let’s say this ban on TikTok succeeds. If it goes through, would Americans be better off?

It depends who you ask. For the users who love TikTok, if it actually disappeared, it would be the government taking away a place where maybe they make money, where they get their entertainment, where they figure out what to read or what to cook next. To free speech advocates, this would be dystopian, unheard of for the government to crack down on an app with such wide usage by Americans.

But for the American political class And the National security establishment, this is a necessary move, one that was years in the making, not something that was just come up with on the fly. And ultimately, it all comes down to China and this idea that you can’t have a social media app like this, a source of news like this, that is even at all at risk of being influenced by the Chinese government and our greatest adversaries.

Sapna, thank you.

Here’s what else you should know today. On Monday, in its latest high-profile showdown with pro-Palestinian protesters, Columbia University gave students until 2:00 PM to clear out from an encampment at the center of campus or face suspension. It appeared to be an effort to remove the encampment without relying on New York City Police, whose removal of a previous encampment there two weeks ago inspired similar protests on campuses across the country.

Free Palestine!

Hi, this is Sharon Otterman reporting for “The New York Times.”

00 PM deadline for protesters to clear out of the encampment at the center of Columbia University has come and gone, and there’s still quite a large contingent inside the encampment.

But Monday’s warning seemed only to galvanize the Columbia protesters and their supporters.

And hundreds of students and others from around the campus have come out to support them. They are currently walking around in a picket around the encampment.

Hundreds of students, standing for or five people deep, encircled the encampment in a show of solidarity. They were joined by members of the Columbia faculty.

There’s also dozens of faculty members, who are prepared to stand in lines in front of the main entrance to the encampment, in case Public Safety or the NYPD move in. But as of 2:00, there was no sign of that happening.

Then, on Monday evening, Columbia announced it had begun to suspend students who had failed to leave the encampment. It was unclear exactly how many students had been suspended.

[PRO-PALESTINE CHANTING]:

Today’s episode was produced by Will Reid, Rachelle Banja, and Rob Szypko. It was edited by Marc Georges and Liz O. Baylen, contains original music by Dan Powell and Marion Lozano, and was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sharon Otterman.

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Sabrina Tavernise. See you tomorrow.

• May 1, 2024   •   35:16 The New Abortion Fight Before the Supreme Court
• April 30, 2024   •   27:40 The Secret Push That Could Ban TikTok
• April 29, 2024   •   47:53 Trump 2.0: What a Second Trump Presidency Would Bring
• April 26, 2024   •   21:50 Harvey Weinstein Conviction Thrown Out
• April 25, 2024   •   40:33 The Crackdown on Student Protesters
• April 24, 2024   •   32:18 Is $60 Billion Enough to Save Ukraine?
• April 23, 2024   •   30:30 A Salacious Conspiracy or Just 34 Pieces of Paper?
• April 22, 2024   •   24:30 The Evolving Danger of the New Bird Flu
• April 19, 2024   •   30:42 The Supreme Court Takes Up Homelessness
• April 18, 2024   •   30:07 The Opening Days of Trump’s First Criminal Trial
• April 17, 2024   •   24:52 Are ‘Forever Chemicals’ a Forever Problem?
• April 16, 2024   •   29:29 A.I.’s Original Sin

Hosted by Sabrina Tavernise

Featuring Sapna Maheshwari

Produced by Will Reid ,  Rachelle Bonja and Rob Szypko

Edited by Marc Georges and Liz O. Baylen

Original music by Marion Lozano and Dan Powell

Engineered by Chris Wood

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music

American lawmakers have tried for years to ban TikTok, concerned that the video app’s links to China pose a national security risk.

Sapna Maheshwari, a technology reporter for The Times, explains the behind-the-scenes push to rein in TikTok and discusses what a ban could mean for the app’s 170 million users in the United States.

On today’s episode

Sapna Maheshwari , who covers TikTok, technology and emerging media companies for The New York Times.

Background reading

A tiny group of lawmakers huddled in private about a year ago, aiming to bulletproof a bill that could ban TikTok.

The TikTok law faces court challenges, a shortage of qualified buyers and Beijing’s hostility .

Love, hate or fear it, TikTok has changed America .

There are a lot of ways to listen to The Daily. Here’s how.

We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

Special thanks to Sharon Otterman .

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

Sapna Maheshwari reports on TikTok, technology and emerging media companies. She has been a business reporter for more than a decade. Contact her at [email protected] . More about Sapna Maheshwari

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• International

Nationwide campus protests

What's moving markets today

April 27, 2024 - Campus protest updates

By Tori B. Powell, Aditi Sangal, Nouran Salahieh, Dalia Faheid, Lauren Said-Moorhouse , Laura Smith-Spark , Adrienne Vogt and Matt Meyer, CNN

Our live coverage of the protests has moved here .

USC professor to CNN: University officials have failed students and faculty

From CNN’s Amanda Musa

University of Southern California administrators failed students and faculty who are encouraged by the institution to speak their minds, said  Mike Ananny , PHD, an associate professor of communications and journalism at USC who recently criticized university leaders over their handling of campus demonstrations.

On Thursday, Ananny wrote an open   letter appearing in the student publication, the  Daily Trojan , stating he no longer trusts the school's provost, Andrew Guzman, and its president, Carol Folt, after witnessing how they handled what he called peaceful protests, especially on Wednesday.

Nearly 100 people  were arrested after the university ordered protestors at the campus' Alumni Park to disperse, CNN previously reported.

“Peaceful protestors were at the university expressing their speech rights and doing all the things that we ask our students to do,” he said. “We want them to be engaged and passionate citizens who are taking care of their world.” 

Ananny cited the university’s decision last week to cancel Asna Tabassum's valedictorian commencement speech due to safety concerns as the catalyst for the pro-Palestinian protests. This week, the university also canceled its main stage commencement ceremony set for next month – further dismantling trust between administrators and the university community, Ananny claims.

“The university needs to trust its students, trust its faculty to do the work that we know how to do,” he said. “We know how to have these conversations – let us have them.”

Ananny says he has not received a response from Folt to his open letter.

Here’s some of the latest from major US universities as protests continue

From CNN staff

Pro-Palestinian protests are ongoing at major universities across the US. Several schools have called on authorities to remove demonstrators and more arrests have been made Saturday.

A central demand of protesters is for universities divest from Israel-linked companies that they say are profiting from the war in Gaza.

Here's what you should know:

More arrests and warnings:

• Police detained about 100 people as officials cleared "an unauthorized encampment" on Northeastern University 's campus in Boston on Saturday morning, according to a university spokesperson. Student organizers are disputing some of the school's claims about the encampment.
• Officers arrested at least 23 people on Saturday after a protest encampment formed at Indiana University Bloomington , according to the school's police department. Video from the scene showed officers in riot gear trying to separate demonstrators with their arms linked.
• At Arizona State University , police arrested 69 people for trespassing after an “unauthorized encampment” was set up, according to a release from the university.
• The University of Illinois warned of consequences , including arrests and interim suspensions, for those taking part in on-campus demonstrations that began Friday morning. 

Other schools saw relative calm today:

• The campus of Emory University in Atlanta was quieter Saturday, following the arrest of protesters and at least two Emory professors Thursday in clashes with police. The arrests are now the subject of a faculty movement pressuring the school's president to resign.
• Things were also " relatively calm " on Columbia University 's campus Saturday, especially compared to tense protests off campus earlier this week, according to CNN's Polo Sandoval. Negotiations are still ongoing between protest leaders and university administration, but organizers don't expect an update until Monday.

Northeastern protesters deny university's account of "professional organizers" at encampment

From CNN's Sharif Paget, Michelle Watson and Isabel Rosales

A Northeastern University student organization,  Huskies for a Free Palestine , says it was not infiltrated by outside organizers, as school officials had said after shutting down a protest encampment at the Boston campus.

About 100 people were detained at the encampment, though the school said those with a valid school ID were released and will face school disciplinary proceedings rather than legal action. The school said in a statement that the group had been "infiltrated by professional organizers with no affiliation to Northeastern."

"We were not 'infiltrated' in any way, shape or form by 'professional protestors', no one hired, it was comprised primarily of students," the student group said in a statement Saturday.

Claims about hate speech: The organization is also disputing the university's statement that the "use of virulent antisemitic slurs, including 'Kill the Jews,'" was among the reasons for shutting the protest down.

"The only people hurling antisemitic slurs last night were Zionist counter-protestors attempting to instigate our peaceful encampment. Despite this, the university exploited this moment to lie about our encampment and justify the brutal arrest of over 100 students,” Huskies for a Free Palestine said in its statement.

Videos shared with CNN show what appears to be at least two counter-protesters holding an Israeli flag attempting to provoke the crowd to chant, “Kill the Jews.”

After yelling the antisemitic remark, one of them is heard saying, "Anyone on board? Anyone on board?" Some protesters responded with boos.

Asked for any additional comment, the school's vice president of communications, Renata Nyul, said "the fact that the phrase ‘Kill the Jews’ was shouted on our campus is not in dispute," citing news reports and video from the scene.

"Any suggestion that repulsive antisemitic comments are sometimes acceptable depending on the context is reprehensible," Nyul said. "That language has no place on any university campus."

Faculty group criticizes response: In a statement Saturday, Northeastern University Faculty & Staff for Justice in Palestine also spoke out against the university's handling of the protest.

"We were shocked to learn that the Northeastern administration issued a statement claiming that the university's decision to arrest those in the encampment was triggered by an antisemitic statement allegedly made by protesters," the group said.

"Numerous videos that have been posted online, along with eye-witness accounts from a WGBH reporter and others, make it clear that the phrase in question -- 'Kill the Jews' -- was uttered by a pro-Israel counter-demonstrator who was seeking to provoke the students at the encampment."

23 people arrested at Indiana University Bloomington, police say

Officers arrested at least 23 people on Saturday after a protest encampment formed at Indiana University Bloomington, according to the school's police department.

Police said a group of protesters put up tents and canopies Friday night "with the stated intention to occupy the university space indefinitely," and that the unapproved "temporary or permanent structures" violated school policy.

Video from the school's student-run newspaper, the Indiana Daily Student , showed officers in riot gear carrying shields and batons as they attempted to clear out the encampment. Police can be seen shoving demonstrators as they try to break through interlocked arms, and at least four officers are seen dragging a person away from the camp.

In its statement, the Indiana University Police Department said it approached the demonstrators in the school's outdoor Dunn Meadow area around noon ET, along with Indiana State Police. Authorities say they gave demonstrators “six verbal warnings” to remove the encampment, before detaining those who did not remove their structures.

Police said the 23 people arrested face "charges ranging from criminal trespass to resisting law enforcement." Police said they had not confirmed how many of those arrested were directly affiliated with the university.

CNN has reached out to state police and the Monroe County Sheriff’s office.

In a  post  Saturday, the university said, “IU encourages and respects free speech, including the right to peacefully protest and demonstrate,” but said students, faculty, staff and visitors are expected to comply with school policy and state law.

CNN's Sharif Paget contributed reporting to this post.

This post has been updated with details from a video taken at the scene.

Police arrest 69 people from encampment at Arizona State University

From CNN’s Rebekah Riess

Early Saturday morning, Arizona State University Police arrested 69 people for trespassing after an “unauthorized encampment” was set up, according to a release from the university.

According to the school, a group of people, “most of whom were not ASU students, faculty or staff,” had created an encampment and their demonstration lasted until 11 p.m. local time on Friday, when the group was instructed “multiple times” to disperse. 

Those who refused to leave after multiple warnings, were arrested and charged with criminal trespass, the release said.

The university said while encampments are prohibited on ASU property, “lawful demonstrations” are allowed to take place on campus, except between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.

“While the university will continue to be an environment that embraces freedom of speech, ASU’s first priority is to create a safe and secure environment that supports teaching and learning,” the statement read.

Three people were also arrested on the ASU campus Friday in connection with the encampment, CNN previously reported.

All campus operations have "returned to normal," Northeastern University says

From CNN's Michelle Watson

Northeastern University campus operations are back to normal and the school's quad has been "fully secured" as of Saturday afternoon, the university said in a  post  on X and in an email to CNN.

Police detained about 100 people this morning as officials cleared "an unauthorized encampment" set up by pro-Palestinian demonstrators on Northeastern’s campus in Boston, CNN previously reported.

The school said in its update that the process was complete by 11:30 a.m. ET.

Emory University calm Saturday after violent arrests

From CNN's Rafael Romo

The campus of Emory University in Atlanta was calm Saturday, following the arrest of protesters and at least two Emory professors Thursday in clashes with police.

On Friday, tenured Emory faculty pushed for a "no confidence" vote of Emory President Gregory Fenves in the wake of the violent arrests.

One of the faculty members who had been arrested — Noelle McAfee, chair of Emory’s philosophy department — told CNN that university administrators made the problem worse on Thursday when they called in the police.

She said police told her to step back as she stood near students who were being arrested.

“Here I am — now, not just a professor but a human being — watching this child being pummeled. I said ‘No’ and I stood there. But I stood there in a way that was non-confrontational. I just stood there. And then I’m arrested.”

Fenves said in a letter Friday that ahead of the arrests there were “highly organized, outside protestors” who came to the campus in vans to "construct an encampment, and overtake the Quad."

But students and faculty who participated in the protests recalled events differently, saying the protesters were mostly students and people affiliated with the university.

One such student, Martin Berg, a third-year law student who had been arrested, put it this way: "What I saw was unprovoked and severe brutality exacted by police that Emory University had allowed to come on campus and assault their students. The message that the president of the University sent regarding outside agitators … was a lie."

"The majority of us (in jail) were associated with the university in one way or another," he added.

George Washington University pro-Palestinian protesters block street but remain peaceful

From CNN’s Avery Lotz and Gabe Cohen

Protesters at George Washington University in Washington, DC, are now blocking a street.

Around a dozen tents spilled from University Yard — the grassy area where the encampment was initially erected earlier this week — onto H Street NW, where a sign that reads "Liberated Zone Solidarity Camp" stretches between two trees.

The group of protesters has grown since Friday, according to CNN journalists who have been at the scene.

The protesters, who remain peaceful, were chanting, "Students you are not alone. This campus is a freedom zone."

One chalk-written message on H Street read: “A Free Palestine in our Lifetime."

The tents on H Street, a public area, puts them in a zone overseen by the DC Metropolitan Police.

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How to Make a YouTube Channel: Step-by-Step Guide

Marketing Content Strategist

Table of contents

Understanding youtube and the creative journey, step 1: set up your youtube channel, step 2: plan your content, step 3: record your videos, step 4: editing videos with camtasia, step 5: exporting and publishing your videos to your youtube channel, step 6: optimizing your youtube presence, so what are you waiting for, subscribe to techsmith’s newsletter.

YouTube is a platform where videos aren’t just watched—they inspire, inform, and entertain viewers around the world. Starting a YouTube channel and creating professional-looking content may seem challenging, especially for beginners. But with the right approach and tools, this task becomes more accessible and opens up a fulfilling journey into the creative world of video production.

In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know on how to create a new YouTube channel easily and seamlessly.

Start Your YouTube Channel Today!

Discover why Camtasia is the best way for YouTube creators to record, edit, and upload videos to your YouTube channel.

YouTube is more than just a video-sharing medium; it caters to an audience eager for diverse content experiences. As a content creator, your YouTube channel is a social media platform where you can express yourself and connect with viewers from across the globe. First, you need to build a YouTube channel that reflects your vision and delivers high-quality videos consistently.

Create a Google account

As YouTube is a part of Google, you first need to create a Google account or use an existing one to set up your channel. It will ask for basic information—your name, birthday, email address, etc. After, you can set up your YouTube account to represent your brand and persona. 

Create a YouTube channel

Next, tap your profile picture at the top-right corner of your channel page and select “Create Channel.” Here, you’ll name your channel and set up some other basic info.

Optimize channel settings

Now, it’s time to optimize your channel settings. Customize your channel name, add a compelling channel description, change your profile picture to at least 98 x 98 pixels, and select a relevant channel banner image at least 2560 x 1440 pixels. A YouTube banner is an image that stretches horizontally across the top of your YouTube channel page. These elements create the first impression and should align with your niche and branding strategy. 

Customize your YouTube channel

Further refine your homepage by organizing content into playlists, adding channel keywords for search engine optimization (SEO), and setting up an intro channel trailer to welcome visitors. For example, if you wanted to create a channel focused on keeping houseplants healthy, you might choose keywords like, “house plants,” plant care,” indoor gardening,” and “plant mom,” to name a few. 

Consistency is critical; align your channel art elements, such as logos and color schemes, to create a cohesive and eye-catching channel identity.

Congrats! You’ve created your own YouTube channel. Now, it’s time to plan. 

Identify your target audience

Your audience shapes the type of content you create, your brand’s voice, and even the time and day you upload videos. Use analytics tools, like Ahrefs, Google Trends, and Semrush, to gain valuable insights into your viewer demographics, interests, and watching behaviors.

Brainstorm your video ideas

Generate a list of video concepts that resonate with your target audience and desired niche. Look for gaps in the latest and most popular YouTube content and see how you can provide a unique perspective or add value to current conversations. 

Again, using the plant care example, there are likely dozens if not hundreds of channels focused on general plant care, so to stand out, you might choose to focus on one type of plant or one aspect of plant care, such as watering schedules or light exposure.

Regardless, it’s a good idea to come up with a list of ideas to start with so you don’t have to feel pressure later on. Keep that list going, so you can always have a ready-to-go bank of ideas to pull from, making it easier to maintain a consistent schedule. 

Create a content schedule for your YouTube Channel

Consistency is paramount in YouTube’s algorithm. Channels that regularly release content are more likely to be served as recommended content for people who may not already be subscribed to your channel. Plus, it helps keep your viewers engaged and coming back for more.

Plan your video releases around your schedule to realistically maintain a healthy cadence of new content, whether one new video a week or twice a month.

You’ve planned everything out. Now it’s time to record!

Equipment and setup essentials

While you don’t need the latest high-end video equipment to start, investing in fundamental gear such as a good camera, microphone, and lighting can significantly improve the quality of your videos.

First, you can use your phone as your camera when possible. Most modern smartphones have very good video cameras, sometimes up to 4K resolution or better. You’ll likely want a tripod for times when you want to have a steady, non-moving shot, but for more casual videos — such as YouTube Shorts — you can hold it right in your hand.

For microphones, we highly recommend NOT using the mic on your computer or phone. Even a low-cost USB microphone will likely sound better, and your audience will appreciate it. 

For lighting, you truly don’t need anything fancy. A couple of well-placed lamps or a ring light will help a lot. For more information about lighting, check out our post on how to get great lighting for video .

As your channel grows and your needs become clearer, you can always upgrade your gear later. But don’t let your equipment be the barrier that stops you from creating!

Effective video recording

Learn about the rule of thirds and the importance of good framing and eye contact with your camera or audience. Also, practice your delivery style and avoid overusing fillers, such as ‘um’ and ‘uh.’ Camtasia makes it easy to record YouTube content directly through the video editor. 

Audio and lighting considerations

Audio quality is often more important than video quality. Ensure you record in a quiet space and use a dedicated microphone. Lighting can alter the entire mood of your video, so natural light or softbox lights can create a professional look.

Screen recording with Camtasia

Screen recording is a must for software demonstration or tutorial content. Camtasia offers a robust screen recording feature. You can select an area of your screen and start recording, along with your system audio and microphone input.

With screen recording under your belt, the next step is to edit! 

Importing and organizing your footage

To begin video editing, import your video, audio, and image files in the Camtasia editing software and organize them into a logical structure. This organization will save you time and streamline the editing process.

We won’t go into the full editing process here, but check out this awesome post on how to edit video .

Cutting, trimming, and rearranging Clips

Use Camtasia’s easy-to-use timeline to cut out unwanted portions, trim clips for better pacing, and arrange your content in a way that tells a clear and engaging story.

Adding transitions, effects, and annotations

Camtasia provides a wide array of transition effects to move from one scene to another and annotations such as callouts, shapes, and arrows to emphasize points in your videos. Play around with different formats to see what feels right! 

Incorporating music and sound effects

Sound adds depth to your videos. Camtasia includes a library of royalty-free music and sound effects, or you can import your own to match the mood of your content perfectly. Subtlety is key—ensure that audio enhances your video without overpowering it.

Adding overlays, graphics, and branding

Consistent branding elevates the professional look of your channel. Use overlays, lower thirds, and watermarks to reinforce your brand identity and increase viewer recognition. Make sure to add a YouTube intro and a YouTube outro that sets the tone for your YouTube channel. Camtasia offers free intro and outro templates to take this off your plate! 

>> Discover how to make a YouTube intro with our step-by-step tutorial. 

Exporting your video from Camtasia

When your video is ready, it’s time to export. Camtasia allows you to choose from various presets for different resolutions and platforms. Select the one that best suits your content and audience.

Uploading your first video to YouTube

Once exported, upload your video to YouTube. Use YouTube Studio to include keywords in your video title, description, and tags to optimize your video for search. Your custom thumbnail is vital to your video’s first impression, so design a compelling visual representative of your content. If you create playlists, make sure they also have relevant thumbnails!

Comments and subscribers

YouTube is a community, so engage with your audience. Respond to comments, ask for feedback, and encourage viewers to subscribe. Consistent engagement not only strengthens your community but also increases viewer retention.

YouTube Analytics

YouTube Analytics provides insights into your video performance and overall channel performance. This dashboard shows key metrics, such as watch time, viewer demographics, and engagement rates. Regularly looking at your analytics can help optimize your video strategies for better reach and monetization. Remember: YouTube SEO can help you propel your views and increase your YouTube search rankings. 

Monetization

Beyond traditional ad revenue, people often wonder how to make money on YouTube. Luckily, several other options include Super Chats and Super Stickers — when a viewer buys a Super Chat or Super Sticker so their profile picture can stay on top of the live chat feed during live streaming — channel memberships, and incorporating branded content. 

There’s also the YouTube Partner Program , which grants access to additional money-making features once you meet the eligibility criteria. In the past few years, the addition of YouTube Shorts has introduced a new avenue for YouTube creators to earn through these short-form videos, similar to what you’d see on your TikTok or Instagram feed.

With Camtasia’s versatile tools, creating professional YouTube videos is well within reach. The possibilities are endless, whether you share tutorials, vlogs, podcasts, gaming videos, or product reviews. 

Now that you know how to create a YouTube channel, get started today and let your creativity take center stage on one of the world’s most interactive platforms!

Additional Resources

Snagit vs. camtasia: which screen recorder is right for you, how to reduce video file size, how to make a screencast in 5 easy steps.