Facebook to take on Apple Music & others with TV shows later this summer
Facebook is reportedly planning to launch high-budget scripted TV shows by late summer, directly competing against services like Amazon Video, Netflix, and Apple Music.
The company is in negotiations with Hollywood studios, and willing to fund production budgets up to $3 million per episode, sources told the Wall Street Journal. Two shows already on the slate include "Last State Standing," a game show, and "Strangers," a relationship drama.
In general video content is expected to target people aged 13 to 34, but with an extra emphasis on those 17 to 30. Facebook is said to be willing to share viewership data with studios, and planning to stagger the release of episodes, instead of debuting entire seasons at once like Amazon or Netflix. Facebook's vice president for media partnerships, Nick Grudin, confirmed some of the information.
"We're focused on episodic shows and helping all our partners understand what works across different verticals and topics," he said.
Apple recently premiered its first TV-style programming, "Planet of the Apps." It has also hired two Sony Pictures Television veterans, Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg, to take up future programming efforts.
The company's exact ambitions have been kept under wraps, apart from growing Apple Music subscribers and hardware sales. One show featuring musician and Beats co-founder Dr. Dre, "Vital Signs," has been trapped in development hell. Another, "Carpool Karaoke," is coming on Aug. 8.
The company is in negotiations with Hollywood studios, and willing to fund production budgets up to $3 million per episode, sources told the Wall Street Journal. Two shows already on the slate include "Last State Standing," a game show, and "Strangers," a relationship drama.
In general video content is expected to target people aged 13 to 34, but with an extra emphasis on those 17 to 30. Facebook is said to be willing to share viewership data with studios, and planning to stagger the release of episodes, instead of debuting entire seasons at once like Amazon or Netflix. Facebook's vice president for media partnerships, Nick Grudin, confirmed some of the information.
"We're focused on episodic shows and helping all our partners understand what works across different verticals and topics," he said.
Apple recently premiered its first TV-style programming, "Planet of the Apps." It has also hired two Sony Pictures Television veterans, Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg, to take up future programming efforts.
The company's exact ambitions have been kept under wraps, apart from growing Apple Music subscribers and hardware sales. One show featuring musician and Beats co-founder Dr. Dre, "Vital Signs," has been trapped in development hell. Another, "Carpool Karaoke," is coming on Aug. 8.
Comments
I'm sure Netflix is worried.
As a consumer, I'm somewhat annoyed that more and more programming is locked away in siloed, premium systems. I already subscribe to basic cable, Netflix, and Hulu (and Apple Music), but I'm missing out on Amazon Prime-exclusive and HBO-exclusive content. I accept their right to follow these business models, but I hope something better comes along.
High quality content is the key to taking the eyes off of a competitive service.
Facebook and Google are direct competitors as they both use an advertising model. HBO, Hulu, Netflix, Amazon and Apple are payment based services, and not directly competitive with Facebook and Google. Good luck to Google. They are going to need it. Facebook has a very large captive audience who are fiercely loyal to the platform.
What’s next, a Facebook Speaker?