Facebook to make an entry into TV-like programming in June

Facebook is planning to launch TV-like programming, and the shows could be viewable right away in June. About 24 shows are in the pipeline for this big move into programming. Facebook is aiming at long- form marquee programming that is best suited for viewing on TV sets and shorter videos that will be cost effective to produce for the social media platform. The Wall Street Journal reports that Facebook is focused on seeking 30 minute series based around sports, science , pop culture, lifestyle , gaming and teens and is planning to offer a “premium digital rate” for scripted content or about low to mid-six figures per episode . This initiative also coincides with Facebook’s content licensing efforts undertaken by Ricky Van Veen, Facebook’s head of global creative strategy.

The social media platform has also been working on grabbing space on streaming set-top hardware that will enable Facebook’s video content to make it to TVs. As announced earlier this year, Facebook video applications will be available on Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Samsung Smart TVs. Twitter (Facebook’s largest competitor) is also coming up with its own content strategy. Twitter announced new content partnerships with MLB, WNBA, Bloomberg, BuzzFeed and more at it’s first of its kind Digital Content NewsFronts presentation. Read More