Vox Media laid off at least 12 staffers at Vox.com, the company's second round of cuts in about a month.
The company also announced new duties for its top leaders.
Vox Media faces challenges as digital advertisers move toward Big Tech platforms over news sites.
Vox Media laid off staff on Thursday for the second time in just over a month, this time at its general news site Vox.com.
Vox Media didn't specify the number of people let go but said several teams were impacted in what was a "difficult but necessary step as the industry evolves." The Writers Guild of America East, which represents the Vox newsroom, said the layoffs included 12 of its members. As of 2022, the Vox Media Union had 360 members across Vox Media sites.
Vox also announced a raft of C-suite leadership changes Wednesday. Pam Wasserstein was named copresident and vice chair of Vox Media. She'll continue to oversee New York, Vox, and Vox Media Studios. Revenue head Ryan Pauley was also named copresident, adding oversight for the lifestyle brands and the podcast business and production.
"These changes will create clearer focus, faster decision making, and increased executive capacity for tackling larger strategic questions," Vox Media CEO Jim Bankoff wrote in a company email viewed by Business Insider. "This is particularly important given our complex, multi-brand environment."
In December, Vox laid off staff at its lifestyle titles Thrillist, PS (formerly Pop Sugar), and Eater and said that Thrillist would be operated by Eater going forward.
At the time, Bankoff said the company would focus on areas where it saw the most opportunity, including building direct audiences and its Vox Media Podcast Network. Vox Media also recently put its tech-focused property, The Verge, behind a paywall.
Vox Media grew out of the boom in digital media, raising more than $400 million from investors, including NBCUniversal General Atlantic. It styled itself as the Condé Nast of digital, with a collection of websites devoted to news and lifestyle topics. Its last funding round was in 2023 when it raised $100 million from Penske Media in a deal that made Penske the biggest shareholder with 20%, The New York Times reported.
As investor interest in digital media soured, Vox Media rolled up other properties including New York magazine, Group Nine Media, and NowThis, which it later spun off. Vox.com, the site of the most recent layoffs, focuses on news and politics.
Vox Media, along with many of its digital-media contemporaries, has faced challenges as digital advertisers flock to Big Tech platforms.
First-time buyers only accounted for 24% of US home purchases last year, a new report from Realtor.com found. That's the lowest rate since at least 1981, researchers noted on January 9, even though home affordability has improved significantly from its late-2023 lows.
Millions of millennials and Gen Zers hoping to buy homes and were shut out last year weren't alone.
Housing market transactions underwhelmed for a third straight year during a stalemate between aspiring buyers and sellers. Home prices drifted down in late 2024, but not enough for some buyers to feel like they were getting good value, given where mortgage rates were. And owners held out for renewed price growth since they didn't want to sell for less than their neighbors did.
National Association of Realtors
"Prices have been so sticky; they just stay where they are," said Joel Berner, an economic researcher at Realtor.com who co-authored the report with Danielle Hale, in a recent interview. "People have seen the house down the street a couple of years ago sold for $700,000. Why would I list mine for $600,000?"
Some housing market analysts think property prices will get a second wind, likely starting in the busier spring and summer months. Realtor.com's official forecast is for 3.7% price growth, though that's way slower than a few years ago. And in some markets, prices could keep falling.
"It takes time for people to adjust to the new normal, and so prices are finally starting to drop," Berner said.
Why not buying a home paid off last year
Although buying a house and building equity is a worthy aim, many young Americans may end up glad that they waited to sign on the dotted line.
Mortgage rates remained a major headache last year, even though they were below their peak. The Federal Reserve's plan to cut interest rates more slowly may keep many iced out of the market, though the consensus among real-estate observers is that borrowing costs will still fall.
In the meantime, those who've opted for apartments likely aren't breaking the bank. Rent growth has stagnated as inflation remained below 3%, and Realtor.com's research shows that rent has fallen for the last 16 months. Whether rent was flat or down, there was little rush to buy.
"Rents have been so soft in the last year that people look around and they say, 'Why would I pay a $3,000 mortgage payment when I can rent the same place for $1,500?'" Berner said.
It makes sense that young renters were reluctant to swap their reasonably priced leases for exorbitant mortgages, especially if there weren't many attractive options available. Home inventory has long been limited and is only now returning to pre-pandemic levels.
Realtor.com
Steadily rising home supply is one of the healthiest signs possible for the housing market. While Berner said this isn't a buyer's market quite yet, improved inventory could send it that way.
Opportunities abound for young buyers
While millions are looking for homes, Hale and Berner focused their report on younger buyers, specifically those born in the 1990s who were between the ages of 25 and 34 last year.
Those younger millennials and older Gen Zers may want to start their search on the East Coast, which is home to most of the 10 best cities for first-time buyers, according to Realtor.com.
Their methodology is based on factors like home prices, the local economy, and price growth history. The typical home in each of these markets is below the US median of $416,880 and is also considered affordable, meaning monthly payments are less than 30% of a buyer's income.
Three of these top markets for 25- to 34-year-olds are in Florida, two are in Western New York, and three others are in the Mid-Atlantic region. Only one city cited by Realtor.com was west of the Mississippi River: North Little Rock, Arkansas.
Realtor.com
"These larger, Eastern, older communities have a lot of things to offer," Berner said of the list. "They're well established; there's a lot of infrastructure, a lot of restaurants, a lot of daycares, etc. And the listing prices are pretty soft out there. So it's just kind of a good mix."
What's even more fascinating is which markets didn't make the list. So-called "Zoomtowns" that were trendy during the pandemic were absent, as were highly popular cities in Sun Belt states like North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Cities in California didn't come closer either.
Some of the hottest markets in recent years ranked well in previous renditions of this report, Berner said. If history repeats, young buyers who settle down in cities on this year's list will be glad they did since they'll see price appreciation in the years to come. And they also might be grateful that they didn't get suckered into a subpar deal last year.
"People saw the previous ones and they said, 'These are really good places to buy,' went and bought, and then those listing prices were up," Berner said. "We're kind of chasing our tail a little bit with things, trying to stay ahead of the market. And so it wouldn't surprise me next year if the list looks a whole lot different."
A Russian Su-34 bomber drops a glide bomb to strike Ukrainian positions in August 2024.
Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP
Russian glide-bomb attacks against Ukraine are down compared to a few months ago.
Ukraine's long-range strikes on Russian airfields and ammunition depots helped to reduce the threat.
A Ukrainian soldier on the southern front said attacks are down by 70 percent compared to months ago.
Russia is carrying out fewer glide-bomb attacks on Ukraine compared to a few months ago, but the highly destructive weapons are still a severe threat to soldiers and civilians.
Factors behind the recent decrease in bombing runs include a string of Ukrainian drone strikes on airbases and ammunition storage facilities inside Russia during the summer and fall. Kyiv's forces are also getting better at defending against the glide bombs.
Russian aircraft have launched glide bombs at Ukraine throughout much of the war. The weapons are equipped with special kits converting dumb bombs into precision-guided munitions. They are quite difficult to intercept because they fly on non-ballistic trajectories, have small radar signatures, and have fairly short flight times.
Glide bombs come in various sizes, but among the larger is one weighing over 6,000 pounds that delivers tremendous destruction on impact.
A Ukrainian soldier fighting on the front lines in the south told Business Insider that glide bombs cause a lot of problems, but there has been a significant decrease in attacks since the summer.
A Russian glide bomb is seen mid-flight in July.
Russian Ministry of Defense/Screengrab via Telegram
Yuriy, a major in an electronic warfare unit of the Ukrainian National Guard, said that in his sector of the front, Russia has reduced the number of its attacks by around 70 percent compared to the summer.
He attributed the decrease to Ukraine's long-range strike campaign inside Russia. He also suggested that the presence of F-16 fighter jets, which made their combat debut for Kyiv last August, might be making Russian pilots hesitant to fly too close to the border.
The only way really for Ukraine to defeat glide bombs is to either shoot down the warplane before it releases the munition or strike the aircraft on the ground at its base. They can also destroy the ammunition stores.
During the summer and fall, Ukraine used domestically produced drones to carry out a string of high-profile attacks on Russian storage facilities where glide bombs were kept and airfields where the warplanes carrying them were based.
Ukraine has also benefitted from the Biden administration's decision to lift restrictions on Kyiv's use of American-made tactical ballistic missiles, known as ATACMS, in cross-border strikes. Ukrainian officials long argued more freedom in this space would allow them to threaten Russian airfields and reduce glide-bomb attacks.
Russian glide bombs are seen en route to their targets in August 2024.
Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP
Yehor Chernev, the deputy chairman of Ukraine's parliamentary committee on national security, defense, and intelligence, explained to BI that Kyiv's strikes on the airfields forced Russia to move its tactical aviation deeper into the country and away from the front lines.
This campaign has led to a decrease in sortie rate — how often Russia can get its warplanes in the air to conduct the bombing missions — and has increased the detection time that Ukrainian forces have since the aircraft are approaching from farther out.
Chernev said that Ukraine has also been chipping away at the number of glide bombs in Russia's arsenal by targeting its ammunition depots.
But these strikes aren't a "magic tool," he said. The Russians can always build another storage depot to replace one that has been destroyed. Chernev said that while glide-bomb attacks are ultimately down, "it's still a problem for us because we cannot intercept these guided bombs."
Ukraine can, however, take actions short of interception. George Barros, the geospatial-intelligence team lead and a Russia analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, told BI that Ukraine has gotten better at using electronic warfare to interfere with the Russian glide bombs, reducing their efficacy.
Firefighters put out a fire at an apartment building that was struck by a glide bomb in Kharkiv in August 2024.
AP Photo/Andrii Marienko
On the front lines in the eastern Donetsk region, Barros said that he's observed a correlation between the decrease in the glide-bomb attacks and the rate of Russian advances, which have slowed over the past month or two.
"The Russian forces there are very tired and very much attrited," he said, acknowledging that as a contributing factor.
But hindrances impacting Russia's ability to drop glide bombs on Ukraine, coupled with the decreased effectiveness of these weapons, "also tracks with the observation of the Russian rate of infantry advance," given that Moscow uses these munitions to support its ground forces, Barros said, adding that "these all sort of align in a mutually supporting way."
He emphasized that to prevent the glide-bomb threat from reemerging, the US and NATO need to continue arming Ukraine with long-range missiles so it can keep the pressure on Russia's airbases.
Despite an overall decrease in glide-bomb strikes, these weapons are still causing death and destruction across Ukraine. On Wednesday, Russia attacked the city of Zaporizhzhia with two munitions, killing over a dozen people and injuring more than 30, authorities said.
"This shows once again what Russia truly seeks," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said later that evening. "They want only war, and only victims."
The three finalists of the death games in "Squid Game."
Youngkyu Park
In "Squid Game," people who are in debt compete for money in survival contests inspired by children's games.
Both seasons have had a high death count.
Here are the most shocking deaths ranked
Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Squid Game" seasons one and two.
"Squid Game" is Netflix's biggest success — and it has a pretty high death toll, at over 700 in two seasons.
The story of characters in debt competing, and often dying, in gratuitously violent games inspired by children's games to win money had viewers hooked from its premiere in 2021, and quickly became Netflix's most-watched show of all time.
Season two is equally violent and has beat Netflix's record for the TV series with the most views in its first week on the platform.
Season two follows Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) as he competes in the survival competition for a second time after winning the contest in season one.
This time, Gi-hun tries to shut down the games for good but is unable to stop more people getting killed.
Here are the most significant deaths from the first two seasons of "Squid Game," ranked from least to most shocking.
19. Byeong-gi
The Frontman kills Byeong-gi (Yoo Seong-ju) in "Squid Game” season one.
Netflix
Contestant 111, Byeong-gi (Yoo Seong-ju), is a doctor who tries to survive by forming a pact with the game's guards, offering his surgical skills so that they can harvest the organs of the other players in exchange for information about the upcoming game.
In episode five, the guards aren't told what the next game is, so Byeong-gi panics, kills some guards to escape, and is eventually trapped and killed by the Frontman (Lee Byung-hun), the mastermind of the games.
In the next episode, his body and the bodies of the guards who worked with him are hung in the center of the game as a message to the remaining players.
18. Park Gyeong-seok
Lee Jin-uk plays Gyeong-seok in "Squid Game" season two.
Netflix/YouTube
In the season two finale, Gi-hun leads a rebellion against the games, stealing the guards' guns and storming through the game building to get to the command center.
Player 246, Gyeong-seok (Lee Jin-uk), who is competing to raise money for his sick daughter, joins the charge but the guards overpower the rebels and kill him.
Although his death is tragic, we do not learn enough about Gyeong-seok for his death to be more shocking than others on this list.
17. Jang Deok-su
Jang Deok-su was the bully in "Squid Game" season one.
Youngkyu Park
From stealing food, leaving a woman to die after having sex with her, to being the first to kill a contestant outside a game, Jang Deok-su (Heo Sung-tae) is an undeniably unlikable character.
Karma finally catches up with him in episode seven when Han Mi-nyeo (Kim Joo-ryung), Deok-su's brief lover, throws them onto a brittle platform in the glass bridge challenge as an act of revenge. They fall to their deaths together.
16. Oh Il-nam
Oh Il-nam (Oh Yeong-su) turned out to be one of the masterminds of the games.
Youngkyu Park
Oh Il-nam (Oh Yeong-su) fakes his death during the marbles game in season one, which was much more hard-hitting than his real death in the season one finale.
During this challenge, he pairs up with the show's protagonist, Seong Gi-hun, and discovers that only one person can proceed to the next stage. But instead of playing marbles with Gi-hun, Il-nam seems to hallucinate and wander off.
Gi-hun chases after Il-nam, and, in an out-of-character moment, cheats once they finally play the game.
Il-nam reveals that he knows Gi-hun is cheating but still allows him to progress in the games so he can live a full life. At the time, the pair share an emotional goodbye, like a farewell between a parent and child.
Of course, after Il-nam reveals he is the creator of the games and faked his death in the season finale, the gut-punch of the marbles scene lessens somewhat.
15. The 13 people who died during the glass bridge game
Only three contestants survived the glass challenge.
Youngkyu Park
The glass bridge challenge in season one is by far one of the most shocking games.
While the other challenges can be won by skill, intelligence, or strength, the glass round is solely based on luck.
Players cross a bridge made up of two columns of identical glass platforms. One of the platforms is stable, allowing the players to cross the bridge, while the other will break immediately, leading to a long fall to their deaths.
Only three of the 16 players survive, and the final death is the most brutal. Close to the end, player 017 (Lee Sang-hee) reveals he is a glassmaker who can tell the difference between the platforms. But when the lights are switched off, he struggles to figure out which platform is the right one.
With time running out, Cho Sang-woo (Park Hae-soo) ruthlessly pushes the glassmaker onto one of the glass platforms, which turns out to be the unsafe one.
14. Mr. Kim
Kim Pub-lae as Mr. Kim in "Squid Game" season two.
No Ju-han/Netflix
In season two, Gi-hun hires Mr Kim (Kim Pub-lae), his former creditor, to help him track down the man who recruited him to participate in the games in season one.
Mr Kim and his young underling Woo-seok (Jeon Seok-ho) succeed in finding the Recruiter (Gong Yoo), but he surprises them and knocks them out.
When they wake up, the Recruiter forces them to play a game combining the rules of Rock, Paper, and Scissors with Russian Roulette. Mr. Kim purposely loses the game so Woo-seok can live, and the Recruiter shoots him.
Once Mr Kim is captured, it is pretty clear he will die, but it's heartening that his last act is protecting Woo-seok rather than selling him out.
13. Se-mi
Won Ji-an plays Se-mi in "Squid Game" season two.
No Ju-han/Netflix
Se-mi (Won Ji-an) stands up against the season two bullies Thanos (Choi Seung-hyun) and his sidekick Nam-gyu (Roh Jae-won) to defend a shy man called Min-su (Lee David).
But this backfires during the riot in the season two finale. Nam-gyu corners Se-mi, but Min-su, who is hiding above them, is too scared to save her. Nam-gyu then stabs Se-mi multiple times with a fork, in an undeservedly cruel death.
12. The Recruiter
Gong Yoo as the Recruiter in "Squid Game" season two.
Netflix
The opening episode of season two shows that the Recruiter is as sadistic as his employers, as he toys with homeless people and tortures Mr. Kim and Woo-seok.
In the last scene of the episode, the Recruiter confronts Gi-hun, and they play a game of Russian Roulette.
Gi-hun wins, and the Recruiter, without flinching, shoots himself.
10. Player 196
Song Ji-Woo plays player 196, Kang Mi-na, in "Squid Game" season two.
Netflix
Player 196 (Song Ji-woo) is one of the multiple characters who gets a substantial amount of screentime in season two, episode three when they enter the games. So it seemed like she was going to be one of the season's main players.
That notion goes out the window during the first game, Red Light, Green Light. After feeling a bee on her neck, she moves when she is supposed to be still and is shot in the head.
It is a reminder that this is "Squid Game," and no character is truly safe.
11. Players 069 and 070
Players 069 (Kim Yun-tae) and 070 (Lee Ji-ha) were a married couple in "Squid Game" season one.
Netflix
The only thing we know about players 069 (Kim Yun-tae) and 070 (Lee Ji-ha) is that they are married, which makes episode six's plot twist so cruel. The players are asked to get into pairs, but only after they've done so are they told they will have to compete against each other to move onto the next stage.
No. 69 dies by suicide the night after the game, feeling guilty about his wife's death.
9. Ali Abdul
Ali Abdul (Anupam Tripathi) was one of two immigrants in the season one.
Youngkyu Park
Abdul Ali (Anupam Tripathi), a migrant worker from Pakistan, is a season one fan-favorite because he is kind to all the other players.
This allows him to form useful alliances but also leads to his demise during the marbles game. Ali pairs up with Sang-woo, whom he sees as a close friend, and tries to play fairly.
But Sang-woo tricks Ali into dropping the marbles needed to progress in the games and gives him a bag of rocks instead. Ali doesn't realize he has been fooled until time runs out to save himself, and he is shot by a guard.
Although his death was tragic, it was always clear Ali was not cut out for the competition.
Park Jung-bae
Lee Seo-hwan plays Park Jung-bae in "Squid Game" season two.
No Ju-han/Netflix
Park Jung-bae (Lee Seo-hwan), a former marine and Gi-hun's friend from outside the game, joins in with the rebellion in the season two finale.
Jung-bae and Gi-hun eventually have to surrender when they are cornered by the guards. The Frontman then appears with a gun, and it appears he plans to kill Gi-hun.
He then turns and shoots Jung-bae dead as a lesson to Gi-hun.
The saddest part about Jung-bae's death is that he never finds out that the Frontman was his former ally. In season two, the Frontman poses as a player to keep his eye on Gi-hun and eventually sabotage the rebellion. When the Frontman shoots Jung-bae, he is wearing a mask to hide his identity.
7. Ji-yeong
Kang Sae-byeok (Jung Ho-yeon) and Ji-yeong (Yuuki Luna) in "Squid Game" season one.
Youngkyu Park
After forming a bond with Kang Sae-byeok (Jung Ho-yeon) in previous episodes, Ji-yeong (Yuuki Luna) is forced to battle against her during the marbles challenge.
But instead of fighting, the pair decide to talk about their life story and why they entered the games.
After hearing that Sae-byeok is competing to raise money to save her mother from North Korea and reunite her family, Ji-yeong decides to surrender so Sae-byeok can continue competing.
Ji-yeong's death is made even more tragic by the fact that Sae-byeok doesn't win, so the sacrifice was for nothing.
6. Cho Sang-woo
Park Hae-soo plays Cho Sang-woo in "Squid Game" season one.
Youngkyu Park
The creators and organizers of the competition are the villains of the show, but Sang-woo is a close second.
Sang-woo is determined to win at all costs in season one, sacrificing several people so he can proceed. Sang-woo reaches the final but is beaten by Gi-hun in a battle of Squid Game.
Gi-hun then offers Sang-woo a chance to quit so they both have the chance to survive. But Sang-woo chooses to lethally stab himself so Gi-hun can win the money.
It's not shocking that Sang-woo died, but that even in the end, he chose money over life.
5. Gi-hun's mom
Gi-hun's mother (Kim Young-ok) had diabetes
Netflix
After fighting for his life in six brutal challenges to raise money for his mother's (Kim Young-ok) medical bills to treat her diabetes, Gi-hun returns home to find her dead.
We don't know much about her but her death makes Gi-hun's efforts in the games pointless. He goes through that entire trial but is not able to save a single loved one.
4. Thanos
Choi Seung-hyun plays Thanos in "Squid Game" season two.
Netflix/YouTube
Thanos, the callous, self-obsessed bully of season two, is killed by another player during a riot in the male bathrooms in the season two finale.
Sure, Thanos does deserve to be punished at some point for the way he harassed and harmed other players. And yes, he causes the circumstances of his own death by inciting the riot and bullying his eventual killer, Lee Myung-gi (Yim Si-wan).
But at the same time, Thanos is a really entertaining villain, and it's surprising he is killed so soon, leaving a major villain gap for the third season.
3. Young-mi
Kim Si-eun plays Young-mi in season two of "Squid Game."
No Ju-han/Netflix
Young-mi (Kim Si-eun) is another player who is not cut out to survive the games' brutality, but she seemed to have the potential to get a little further in the show.
She is introduced just before the Six-Legged Pentathlon game, forming a team with Hyun-ju (Park Sung-hoon) and a few other major characters. Most members of this team become really close after surviving this challenge, and Hyun-ju and Young-mi, in particular, form a familial bond.
But during the next challenge, the Mingle game, Young-mi gets knocked and pushed outside the safe zone. In a heartbreaking moment, Young-mi is shot and killed right in front of Hyun-ju.
Justice for Young-mi!
2. The 255 people who died in the Red Light, Green Light game in season one
The doll used is based on a real statue from South Korea.
Netflix
By the end of season one, viewers may feel numb to the show's violence, but the brutality of the competition is not made apparent until the first games.
More than half of the contestants in the competition die in Red Light, Green Light alone, where they are shot by hidden snipers if they are caught moving by a giant rotating doll. It is nothing short of a massacre in seconds, and only 201 out of 456 contestants survive.
It makes it clear from the start that there will be no trickery or bargaining in this competition — if you lose, you die.
Thankfully, in season two, Gi-hun instructs the players on how to beat the game so fewer die.
1. Kang Sae-byeok
Jung Ho-yeon, who played Kang Sae-byeok, was the rising star of season one.
Youngkyu Park
While Gi-hun is the protagonist, Sae-byeok is one of the characters with the most moving story and arguably most deserving of the money.
She is a North Korean defector who needs the money to look after her younger brother and bring her mother to South Korea. Though she has a hard exterior, she goes out of her way to help other vulnerable people, even stopping Gi-hun from killing Sang-woo when he is sleeping.
Cover Corp, a top virtual influencer company, is expanding its business in the US.
Its creators, known as VTubers, use digital avatars and are gaining popularity on YouTube.
The company is using sold-out live events and collaborations with traditional media to grow abroad.
Japan-based Cover Corporation is betting on the US as the next big market for growing its virtual anime-style influencer fan base.
The company manages creators who use technology to appear in videos and other online posts as digital avatars, often resembling anime characters. These influencers are most popular on YouTube. The VTubers, as they're known, typically livestream. Many make music or play games.
Their popularity is small but on the rise. From January 2023 to June 2023, VTubers comprised 1.4% of the active YouTube live gaming community but captured 9.6% of all viewer hours, according to data from the game-marketing platform GameSight. VTuber viewership increased by 28% during the period, while that of other gaming creators on YouTube Live fell by 6%.
Cover is one of several companies that exclusively work with VTubers to expand their businesses. Its agency division, Hololive Production, manages VTubers in Japan, Indonesia, and English-speaking countries, which have been a major area of expansion for the company since 2023.
Last year, Cover opened an office in Los Angeles through its first overseas subsidiary.
Hololive's popular VTubers in the US include Mori Calliope (2.49 million YouTube subscribers) and Nerissa Ravencroft (805,000 YouTube subscribers). Globally, its talent includes some of the most-watched and subscribed VTuber channels on YouTube.
Mori Calliope is a VTuber with 2.49 million subscribers.
Cover Corp
The company's international expansion has helped boost revenue and earnings. Cover's revenue rose 50% year over year to 10,688 million yen ($67.6 million) during its last reported quarter, which ended in October. It posted a profit of 1,500 million yen during the period.
Motoaki Tanigo, CEO of Cover, spoke to Business Insider in an interview conducted through translators. In 2025, he said the company plans to focus on gaming collaborations, pop-up shops, and live events like concerts to grow its business in the US.
While Hololive primarily manages livestreamers, several of the company's creators sing and make their own music. That has opened up avenues for revenue and growth.
Mori Calliope, for instance, is scheduled to headline a solo concert in February in Los Angeles. Hololive's VTuber talent uses 3D technology to bring its digital avatars to the stage.
Tanigo said music is one of the top ways its talent reaches new audiences.
In 2023, Cover held a concert at the 6,000-seat YouTube Theater in LA, which sold out in 30 minutes, the company said. Its August concert at the Kings Theater in New York, another 6,000-seat venue, sold out in 10 minutes.
"The popularity of these events proves that North American audiences have a tremendous appetite for VTuber content," Tanigo said. "Our goal is to elevate VTubers alongside popular Japanese exports like manga, anime, and games."
Cover's top revenue drivers are merchandise, such as made-to-order items and a collectible card game; streaming revenue from super chats and channel memberships; concerts and live events; and licensing and collaborations, per its earnings report. Licensing and collaborations was the fastest-growing segment.
Hololive's international expansion
In 2025, the company is making a behind-the-scenes shift that it hopes will make its VTubers more engaging.
Until now, Hololive's VTuber models had been created through the gaming software Unity. Tanigo said the company is switching to another platform, Unreal Engine, which it believes will create "better quality" models.
The company is also working on finding better ways to sell tickets to and improve its in-person events. Tanigo said he'd love to see a function on YouTube or Twitch for ticket sales and better real-time translation for live videos, for example.
Hololive's international expansion has faced roadblocks.
Tanigo said the company has struggled with music copyright outside Japan, including getting the rights for talent to cover a song.
One of his priorities for the year ahead is to make inroads into traditional US media.
In Japan, the company has placed its talent on TV shows and other traditional media spots, and the team is working on animation projects based on its talent.
"We'd like to have that opportunity in the US as well and try to have more exposure in a TV show and different types of mediums," Tanigo said.
The Getty Villa surrounded by smoke from the nearby Palisades fire in California.
MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images / Contributor / Getty Images
The Palisades and Eaton fires have razed thousands of homes and burned tens of thousands of acres.
Some buildings have survived, though, like the Getty Villa art museum in Pacific Palisades.
The Villa is not your average home, but homeowners can learn from what Getty staff have been doing all year.
As the Palisades and Eaton firesburned through thousands of acres on Tuesday, razing nearly 2,000 homes, the iconic Getty Villa remained standing with minor damage. Meanwhile, homes and trees around it went up in flames.
"We deeply appreciate the tireless work and dedication of the Los Angeles Fire Department, Los Angeles County Fire Department, and other agencies," the museum said in a statement Wednesday morning.
The Getty Villa is part of the J. Paul Getty Trust, which includes the largest endowment of any museum in the world, estimated at more than $8 billion in 2023. It houses the trust's collection of Ancient Greek and Roman art.
A trail of flames from the Palisades fire leads to the Getty Villa.
Apu Gomes / Stringer / Getty Images
Fire departments used "state-of-the-art air handling systems" to help protect the building, Katherine E. Fleming, the president and CEO of the Getty Trust, told USA Today.
Moreover, builders designed the galleries with double-walled construction, which also helped protect the precious art inside.
However, it wasn't just expensive architecture and state-of-the-art firefighting that helped. Getty staff have been consistently clearing brush from the surrounding area all year as part of its fire-mitigation efforts, the museum said.
Buildings and trees around the Getty Villa went up in flames.
The fire has been fueled by an explosion of grasses and brush that grew abundant over the past two winters, which were rainier than usual. But with drought conditions over the past few months, that brush dried out, becoming kindling for the fast-moving blazes.
To mitigate the risk of fire, cities, fire departments, and community members can clear dried grasslands around residential areas.
Individual homeowners can also protect their properties by clearing a 5-foot perimeter around their houses and removing flammable materials like ornamental plants, bark mulch, or deck furniture.
"This is an urban fire. We're burning urban fuels," said Pat Durland, a wildfire-mitigation specialist and instructor for the National Fire Protection Association with 30 years of federal wildfire management experience.
Keeping gutters and roofs clear can also prevent spot ignitions that can send entire structures up in flames.
Many homes near the Getty Villa, like the one shown here, were engulfed in flames.
Associated Press
"People believe that they're helpless," Durland told Business Insider in 2023. But that's not the case, he said. "Nine out of 10 times, this boils down to two words: yard work."
Homeowners can also install noncombustible, 1/8-inch mesh screening on any vents to a crawl space or attic to prevent embers from entering the home that way.
"You are where the rubber meets the road. The things you do on your house and around your house are going to make the difference," Durland said.
Kate Middleton's fashion evolved after she became the Princess of Wales.
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Kate Middleton became the Princess of Wales in September 2022.
She's shown off different facets of her style while taking on new royal responsibilities.
Kate has embraced pantsuits, and for her two public appearances in 2024, she wore chic dresses.
Kate Middleton became the Princess of Wales after Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022.
The mom of three, who celebrated her 43rd birthday on Thursday, has had fun with her fashion since her title changed, showing off a sleeker side of her style.
In December 2022, Kate attended the Christmas Day Service at St. Mary Magdalene Church while wearing a navy-green ensemble.
Prince Louis and Kate Middleton attend the Christmas Day Service at St Mary Magdalene Church in December 2022.
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Her Alexander McQueen coat had a high neckline, multiple pockets, and a long pleated skirt.
She wore it with a handful of accessories in rich tones and textured fabrics, like dark velvet boots, brown leather gloves, and a green, wide-brimmed hat adorned with ribbon.
She also visited Boston, Massachusetts, that month, and showed the more colorful side of her wardrobe.
Kate Middleton during a visit to Boston, Massachusetts, in December 2022.
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She wore a burgundy pantsuit designed by Roland Mouret with matching pumps and a baby-pink blouse. The shirt's long bow added a feminine flair to her outfit.
To kick off 2023, Kate and her husband wore matching red pieces for a Royal Foundation Centre event.
Prince William and Kate Middleton at a pre-campaign launch event at BAFTA in London, England, on January 30, 2023.
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The Prince of Wales wore a blue suit with a red tie, which matched Kate's vibrant red suit.
Alexander McQueen designed her asymmetrical blazer and pleated pants, which she wore with red heels, a matching clutch, and geometric earrings from Chalk.
For the Wales versus England Six Nations rugby game in February 2023, Kate wore a coat that featured the colors of both teams.
Kate Middleton attends the Wales versus England Six Nations Match in February 2023.
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Her houndstooth-print Catherine Walker coat was red and white, mirroring the colors of both rugby teams.
The BBC reported that, on the day of the match, the Prince of Wales described his wife's attire as "diplomatic," though she was rooting for England. Her team went on to win the game.
For the Commonwealth Day Service in March 2023, Kate wore a printed set with lots of flair.
Kate Middleton attends a Commonwealth Day Service in March 2023.
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Designed by Erdem, her navy-blue outfit included a fitted blazer top with peplum detailing at the waist, and a mermaid-style skirt that flared just above her ankles.
She wore the outfit with velvet pumps and a wide hat.
Kate subverted expectations by wearing teal to the St. Patrick's Day Parade at Mons Barracks in March 2023.
Kate Middleton attends the St. Patrick's Day Parade at Mons Barracks in March 2023.
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Rather than wearing true green as most do on St. Patrick's Day, the Princess of Wales opted for a Catherine Walker coatdress in a shade of teal often referred to as "St. Patrick's Blue," as People reported.
The color also matched the plumes the 1st Battalion of Irish Guards wore in their hats. It was a fitting choice for Kate as she inherited the title of Colonel of the battalion from William in December 2022.
She paired the look with coordinating shoes from Gianvito Rossi and a hat designed by Jane Taylor London.
Kate's blue ensemble for an Easter service at St. George's Chapel in April 2023 coordinated with her family members' looks.
Prince Louis and Kate Middleton attend the Easter Sunday Mattins Service at St George's Chapel in April 2023.
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The Waleses marked the full family appearance with coordinating blue ensembles, and Kate chose another Catherine Walker coatdress for the occasion. It had a two-toned lapel and pocket detailing.
A matching hat and nude heels tied the look together.
The Princess of Wales chose a more relaxed look for a visit to the charity the Anna Freud Centre in May 2023.
Kate Middleton visits the Anna Freud Centre in May 2023.
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Kate's emerald dress was designed by Suzannah London. She wore it with white-and-black shoes from Alessandra Rich.
The gown's detailing and slightly puffy sleeves created a more relaxed but still professional look.
Kate put a royal spin on the sheer fabric trend with her dress for a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2023.
Kate Middleton attends a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2023.
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Designed by Elie Saab, the powder-blue dress had a sheer overlay and was covered in velvet embellishments.
An oversize bow sat on her neck, and a coordinating hat with a large flower completed the ensemble.
Even better, the look was recycled. Kate previously wore it to the 2019 Royal Ascot.
The princess popped in polka dots while opening Hope Street, a residential space for women in Southampton, in June 2023.
Kate Middleton attends an engagement at Hope Street in Southampton, England, in June 2023.
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Puffy sleeves and a ruffled neckline gave the navy polka-dot dress from Alessandra Rich a feminine feel.
She paired the look with a white clutch and black-and-white heels.
The pink dress Kate wore to officially open the Young V&A at V&A Museum of Childhood in June 2023 was perfect for the summer of "Barbie."
Kate Middleton officially opens the Young V&A at V&A Museum Of Childhood in June 2023.
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First worn by the princess to Wimbledon in 2021, the Beulah London dress had short sleeves. Buttons lined the bodice, and it belted at the waist.
White shoes accented the summery outfit, just one of the pink looks she wore over the summer.
Kate showed off her penchant for polka dots at The Order of The Garter service at St. George's Chapel in June 2023.
Kate Middleton attends The Order of The Garter service at St. George's Chapel in June 2023.
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The white dress was designed by her go-to designer, Alessandra Rich. Polka dots covered the form-fitting, long-sleeved dress, which cinched at the waist.
A black hat with polka-dot feathering and black-and-white shoes completed the ensemble.
She embraced a more casual side of her style at the Out-Sourcing Inc. Royal Charity Polo Cup in July 2023.
Kate Middleton attends the Out-Sourcing Inc. Royal Charity Polo Cup in July 2023.
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Kate chose another Beulah London dress for the polo game, which William played in, this time in pale blue.
The long-sleeve dress flowed to Kate's ankles, and it was covered in stripes of floral print.
She paired it with nude heels.
Kate's lime-green dress for Wimbledon 2023 felt playful and fresh.
Kate Middleton attends Wimbledon in July 2023.
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The dress from Self-Portrait had a shirt-like bodice, with a collar, large buttons down the center, and pocket detailing.
It cinched at the waist with a belt, creating a peplum silhouette, while the ruched skirt flowed to Kate's ankles.
She paired the dress with a purple brooch and nude heels.
Kate embraced a power suit in September 2023.
Kate Middleton in September 2023.
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Kate wore a green suit from Burberry to visit the textile company, AW Hainsworth.
The jacket was slim-fitted while the pants were slightly wider, giving her a long look. A white blouse and gold jewelry completed the professional ensemble.
The princess wore a chic sweater set to visit Nottingham Trent University in October 2023.
Kate Middleton in October 2023.
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The cream ensemble was designed by Sézane, consisting of a sweater with button detailing on the sleeves and a pencil skirt.
The sweater material of the ensemble made it feel perfect for fall. Kate paired the effortless ensemble with cream shoes and a matching purse.
A casual jacket and jeans was a nice change of pace for Kate in October 2023.
Kate Middleton in November 2023.
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During a visit to Moray, Scotland, Kate paired a checked Burberry jacket with flared jeans and boots, and she added a red flower to her lapel.
Her jacket subtly matched William's green outerwear, and the pattern was the perfect fit for a visit to Scotland.
Kate chose a red coatdress with a statement bow for a state visit at the end of November 2023.
Kate Middleton in November 2023.
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The princess turned to Catherine Walker for her dress in November, when she was ceremonially welcomed by the president and first lady of the Republic of Korea.
The red coatdress flowed past her knee, draping over her arms almost like a wrap. An asymmetrical bow on the gown's collar acted as a modern touch, and coordinating red shoes, a red purse, and a red hat tied the look together.
She attended the "Together at Christmas" celebration with an all-white outfit that looked more Hollywood glam than royal chic in December 2023.
Kate Middleton in December 2023.
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Kate tapped menswear bespoke tailor Chris Kerr for her cream coat, which flowed to her ankles.
She paired the structured coat with a white blouse, matching high-waisted trousers, nude shoes, and a mini-purse. The outfit looked both trendy and timeless.
Kate made her much-anticipated return to the public eye in June 2024 at Trooping the Colour in a white Jenny Packham outfit.
Kate Middleton at Trooping the Colour in June 2024.
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Jenny Packham designed the knee-length dress Kate donned for Trooping the Colour 2024, which marked her first public appearance of the year. The Princess of Wales announced she was undergoing chemotherapy in March 2024.
The dress was upcycled, as Kate was previously seen wearing it at a luncheon before King Charles' coronation in May 2023. But Packham added a black-and-white bow and altered the belt to give it a second stripe for Trooping the Colour, making it look new.
She paired the dress with a coordinating white hat, pointed-toe heels, and the Irish Guards Regimental Brooch on her lapel to highlight her role as Colonel of the Irish Guards.
When she made her first solo appearance of the year at Wimbledon in June 2024, Kate wore a purple dress.
Kate Middleton attends Wimbledon in July 2024.
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Kate attended the men's final of Wimbledon 2024 with Princess Charlotte at her side.
She arrived in a purple dress designed by Safiyaa London. The dress featured cap sleeves, a cinched waist, and a tea-length skirt with pleats. Ruching on the bodice added dynamism to the boatneck bodice, as did a navy brooch shaped like a bow.
Nude shoes and a pair of sunglasses completed the ensemble.
Kate paired a classic coatdress with modern accessories for the ceremonial welcome of the Amir of the State of Qatar in December 2024.
Prince William and Kate Middleton in December 2024.
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Alexander McQueen designed the double-breasted burgundy coatdress Kate wore to the ceremony, which was the first she attended in 2024.
Her coordinating hat was from Sahar Millinery, and Kate played up the autumnal vibes of her look with brown gloves, a brown Chanel clutch, and brown knee-high boots from Gianvito Rossi.
She chose pearly jewelry to complete the ensemble, including a four-strand choker Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana both wore in the past.
Kate used a scarf to make her outfit for the Christmas walk at Sandringham coordinate with her family members' looks.
Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their children in December 2024.
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The Prince and Princess of Wales participated in the royal family's annual walk through Sandringham on Christmas with their children, and Prince William, Prince George, Prince Louis, and Princess Charlotte all wore navy ensembles.
Instead of matching her family, Kate donned an emerald green coat from Alexander McQueen with a matching beret from Gina Foster. She wore black boots and gloves with the look, but the standout accessory of her ensemble was her navy and green tartan scarf, which connected her look to her family members' outfits.
It complemented Charlotte's look in particular, as Charlotte's blue coat featured a checked pattern.
