Facebook TV shows are likely to debut in August

Desk Report: Facebook TV is reportedly coming in two weeks, according to Bloomberg. TV partners are already being asked to submit the first episodes of their "spotlight" shows.

These will be inexpensive, five- to 10-minute shows that are owned by the media companies that have partnered with Facebook, with 45 percent of ad revenue going to the latter.

A Facebook spokesperson declined to comment.

By contrast, Facebook’s future TV content that it plans to launch later on will be 20- to 30-minute shows owned solely by Facebook. Some of the partnered media companies include Group Nine Media, BuzzFeed, ATTN, and Vox Media (which owns The Verge).

These TV shows were originally expected to be released in June, but then were delayed to near August, and “people familiar with the matter” told Bloomberg that further delays could still occur.

Facebook TV will be middlebrow entertainment, coming in just above homemade YouTube videos, but well below the likes of Netflix and HBO. Facebook has stated it needs more room for advertisers than the packed News Feed, which could be the main driver behind the company’s push toward longer-form entertainment, as well as incorporating ads into Facebook Messenger.

Agencies


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