Piers Morgan Declares Himself the 'Best-Known Journalist in the World' Amid His YouTube Success

Piers Morgan declared himself a “YouTuber” amid his new success.

After acquiring the rights to his own show, Piers Morgan Uncensored, from News UK in January, he proclaimed: "I'm a business owner, a media proprietor and, in my words, a 'YouTuber' — not a TV presenter."

At just 18, he began as a trainee insurance underwriter before leaping into journalism and climbing the ranks to become the editor of the Daily Mirror. From there, he reinvented himself as a presenter for major networks like CNN and ITV.

In an interview with The Times, the former TV presenter bared having "fun" with this new chapter of his life.

"I'm having fun running my own train set… I've never done that before; I've run it for other people," he shared.

With a history of being fired from two major networks, Morgan typically only claims victory. This tenacity seems to align him closely with his old friend Donald Trump. Despite his polarizing persona, he's thriving on YouTube, where his channel has amassed four million subscribers and regularly garners over a million views per video.

"If you look at news shows worldwide, they'd die for these figures," he shared. "Look at CNN, where I used to work. We're sometimes getting two, three, or four million views for a debate, while they're barely hitting 300,000 in prime time."

Morgan pointed out his viewership demographic: average age in their 40s, with about half tuning in from the U.S. "You make more money from an American eyeball on YouTube than anywhere else in the world," he explained. "Americans are less fascinated by what happens outside their borders."

Running a show with a staff of 15, Morgan claimed his revenues are growing, though he kept specific figures to himself. His videos frequently feature ads from both YouTube and Red Seat Ventures, a firm owned by Fox Corporation.

He also disclosed that he sold a minority stake to Karl Brophy, founder of Dublin-based PR firm Red Flag Global, for a "significant seven-figure sum." However, despite his rapid growth, he admits he still trails fellow YouTubers: Joe Rogan, with 20 million subscribers and Ben Shapiro, who boasts seven million.

Morgan is "hungrily chasing" their business models, notably the lucrative deals Rogan struck with Spotify, estimated to be worth up to $450 million. "You can see there the business model that I'm chasing," he said.

The risks of YouTube are notable, given that creators sometimes find their ads blocked or their channels removed. "I think we're very careful about that," he said. "YouTube knows I'm not a political ideologue. I don't chase conspiracy theories."

Broadcast expert Tom Harrington acknowledged the precariousness of Morgan's position: "You're completely at the whims of a platform, an algorithm that can change any time."

However, with nine million followers on X and two million on Instagram, Morgan is adept at managing his media presence. He is also aiming to expand his brand by developing a network of uncensored channels, including plans for a History Uncensored series.

"There's a billion-dollar business model waiting to be replicated," he said, highlighting companies like Shapiro's The Daily Wire that have flourished with a diverse range of shows.

He added, "I'm probably the best-known journalist in the world right now. I can't think of anybody who really comes close globally."

Morgan's focus on building his brand in the U.S. makes sense, particularly since he is already a recognized figure in the UK. Recently, ITV offered him a "bucket load of cash" to join I'm a Celebrity… which he declined with a quip: "Why on earth would I go eat kangaroo testicles at this stage? I don't need to do any of these things."