--- title: "CMS Networks" description: "Find out which YouTube network — a CMS content owner — a video or channel belongs to, and explore any network's roster of signed channels. Powered by NexLev's CMS database covering millions of video lookups, with a live CMS API fallback for anything not yet indexed." source: "https://dashboard.nexlev.io/docs/mcp/cms-networks" --- # CMS Networks Find out which **YouTube network** — a CMS content owner — a video or channel belongs to, and explore any network's roster of signed channels. Powered by NexLev's CMS database covering millions of video lookups, with a live CMS API fallback for anything not yet indexed. Useful for spotting who is actually behind a channel, mapping a network's portfolio before a partnership or acquisition question, and telling a real network apart from a creator who simply monetizes on their own. ## Prerequisites - **Connected AI assistant** — Claude, ChatGPT, or any other supported platform - **Lite, Pro, or Premium plan** — Free plans do not have access. [Upgrade your plan](?required_nexlev_lite_pro_access=true) to get started. > **Info** > > Works with **both API-key and OAuth connections**. Each tool has its own daily > limit — see [Rate Limits](#rate-limits). ## Key Concepts | Term | What it means | | -------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **CMS / content owner** | A YouTube Content Management System account — what people usually call a "network" or MCN | | **Linked owner** | The content owner a channel is **actually signed to**. This is the channel's network | | **Claiming owner** | A rights holder (music label, footage library) that only claimed copyrighted **assets used in a video** — not the network | | **Self-monetized partner** | A channel monetizing through its **own individual partner account** (owner type `IVP`) — no network involved | > **Warning** > > **Don't confuse a claim with a network.** A single video can be claimed by > several owners — usually music labels for the background track. Only the > **linked** owner tells you which network the channel belongs to. ## Tools ### Content Owner Lookup #### `get_content_owner` Looks up the CMS content owner of a **video** or a **channel**. Pass exactly one identifier — if several are given, `video_id` wins, then `channel_id`, then `username`. **For a video** it returns every content owner claiming it: the **linked** owner is the channel's actual network, while unlinked owners are rights holders that only claimed assets used in that video. **For a channel** it aggregates owners across the channel's videos in the CMS database and reports which network the channel belongs to. Channels on their own individual partner account are identified as **self-monetized partners** rather than shown as a network. **Best for:** - "Which network is this creator signed to?" - "Who claimed this video — and is that the channel's network or just a music label?" - "Is this channel independent or backed by a network?" **Example prompts:** ``` Which network is MrBeast signed to? ``` ``` Who claimed this video? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ ``` ``` Is @channelname signed to a network, or are they self-monetized? ``` ``` Look up the content owner for channel UCX6OQ3DkcsbYNE6H8uQQuVA and include its subscriber and view stats ``` ``` Who owns this video, and show me the video's title and view count too ``` **Parameters:** | Parameter | Type | Description | | ----------------------- | ------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `video_id` | string | YouTube video ID, e.g. `"Af6i6ChAVTw"` | | `channel_id` | string | YouTube channel ID, e.g. `"UCX6OQ3DkcsbYNE6H8uQQuVA"` | | `username` | string | Channel handle, e.g. `"@MrBeast"` | | `include_channel_stats` | boolean | Also fetch public channel stats — subscribers, total views, avg views. Default `true` | | `include_video_details` | boolean | Video lookups only — also return title, views, and likes. Default `false` | > **Tip** > > **Video lookups are more precise than channel lookups.** A channel result is > aggregated across its videos, so a channel that recently changed networks may > still show traces of the old one. Checking a **recent** video pins down the > current network. ### Network Search #### `search_cms_networks` Research networks and the channels under them. Three modes, selected by which arguments are present: | Mode | How to trigger it | What you get | | ------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Top networks** | No `cms_name` and no `owner_id` | The biggest networks in the database, ranked by the network size the CMS reports | | **Name search** | `cms_name` | Typo-tolerant network name matches — partial names and small misspellings are fine | | **Network roster** | `owner_id`, or a `cms_name` matching a single network | Network details plus a paginated list of linked channels with live stats | ##### Top networks **Example prompts:** ``` What are the biggest YouTube networks in our database? ``` ``` Show me the top 25 YouTube networks in the United States ``` ``` List the biggest company-owned networks — exclude individual partners ``` ##### Name search ``` Find the network called Beast Industries ``` ``` Search networks matching "beast industr" ``` ##### Network roster ``` Find the network called Beast Industries and show me its channels ``` ``` List the channels under content owner dX08cMQ6tOFFvIMPF74oSA with their subscriber counts ``` ``` Show me the next page of channels for that network ``` ``` For that network, also include channels that only had assets claimed by them ``` **What roster results include:** - Network details — display name, content owner ID, owner type, country - Channels **linked** to the network, each enriched with live stats: subscribers, total views, video count, and average views per video **Parameters:** | Parameter | Type | Description | | ----------------------- | ------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `cms_name` | string | Network display name to search, e.g. `"Beast Industries"`. Partial names and small typos are fine | | `owner_id` | string | Content owner ID, e.g. `"dX08cMQ6tOFFvIMPF74oSA"` — skips name search and returns network details directly | | `content_owner_type` | enum | `COMPANY`, `INDIVIDUAL`, `IVP`, `UNKNOWN`. `IVP` = self-monetized partners, excluded from top networks unless asked | | `country` | string | Filter networks/channels by channel country, e.g. `"United States"` | | `top_limit` | number | Networks returned in top-networks / name-search mode — 1–25, default 10 | | `list_channels` | boolean | List channels once a single network resolves. Default `true` | | `channels_limit` | number | Channels per page — 1–20, default 10 | | `channels_skip` | number | Channels to skip, for pagination. Default 0 | | `include_claims` | boolean | Also count channels that only had assets **claimed** by this owner. Default `false` | | `include_channel_stats` | boolean | Enrich each listed channel with live stats. Default `true` | > **Tip** > > **`include_claims` changes what a roster means.** Left off (the default) you > see only channels actually signed to the network — the real roster. Turned on, > you also see channels the owner merely claimed assets on, which inflates the > list but is useful for mapping a music label's reach. ## Example Workflows ### Is this creator independent? ``` Is @channelname signed to a network? Check one of their recent videos to be sure, and tell me whether they're self-monetized ``` ### Map a network's portfolio ``` Find the network called Beast Industries, list its channels with subscriber counts, and tell me the combined total views ``` Then keep asking for the next page — rosters are paginated at up to 20 channels each. ### Scout networks in a market ``` Show me the top 15 company-owned YouTube networks in Germany, then list the channels under the biggest one ``` ### Sanity-check a claim on your own video ``` Who claimed this video, and which of those owners is actually the channel's network? ``` ### Combine with monetization research ``` Which network is this channel signed to, and what do they sell outside of ads? ``` `get_content_owner` plus [Channel Promotions](/docs/mcp/channel-promotions) gives you both sides of a channel's business. ## Good to Know - **Coverage is deep but not total.** Lookups are served from a prefetched database of millions of videos, with a live CMS API fallback when a video or channel isn't indexed yet. - **Networks are ranked by self-reported size.** Top-networks ordering uses the network size the CMS itself reports, not NexLev's channel count. - **Rosters are paginated** at up to 20 channels per page — just ask for the next page to keep browsing. - **Each tool has its own daily limit** — spending `get_content_owner` calls doesn't reduce your `search_cms_networks` allowance. ## Troubleshooting **"Temporarily unavailable" for one video or channel** - Occasionally a specific lookup can't be served. Retrying a bit later usually works. **A channel shows no network** - Most likely it monetizes through its own individual partner account — a **self-monetized partner** (`IVP`), which is the expected answer, not an error. **Several owners returned for one video** - Normal. Only the **linked** owner is the channel's network; the others claimed assets used in the video, typically music. **Name search returns the wrong network** - Add more of the name, or pass `owner_id` directly if you have it. Name search is typo-tolerant, which means it can also match loosely. **Empty channel roster** - The network may have no linked channels in the database. Try `include_claims: true` to see claimed channels, or drop the `country` filter. **Top networks include individual partners** - They're excluded by default. If they appear, `content_owner_type: "IVP"` was requested explicitly. **Quota limit reached** - If you've hit your daily limit, [Upgrade to Pro](?required_nexlev_lite_pro_access=true) for higher quota limits, or enable **usage credits** to keep going past it. ## Rate Limits > **Note** > > CMS tools are available on **Lite, Pro, and Premium** plans only — Free plan > users do not have access. | Tool | Free | Lite | Pro | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Content owner lookup (`get_content_owner`) | 0 | 5 | 15 | | CMS network search (`search_cms_networks`) | 0 | 5 | 15 | ### Beyond your allowance (pay as you go) With **usage credits** enabled in your NexLev account, calls past your daily limit are billed at **$0.05 per call** from your credit balance — for both CMS tools. Without usage credits, the tools pause at your daily limit and tell you when it resets. ## What's Next? - **[Channel Promotions](/docs/mcp/channel-promotions)** — How the channels in a network earn outside AdSense - **[Channel Analytics](/docs/mcp/channel-analytics)** — Deep metrics for any channel on a network roster - **[Batch Channel Metrics](/docs/mcp/batch-channel-metrics)** — Compare up to 10 roster channels side by side - **[Channel Resolver](/docs/mcp/channel-resolver)** — Turn any URL or `@handle` into a channel ID - **[Monetization](/docs/mcp/monetization)** — Eligibility, RPM, and revenue signals