Facebook will soon officially launch its foray into the TV industry. The company announced in a blog post today that it is adding a new “Watch” section to its website, mobile, and TV applications where it will house its slate of original programming…
Facebook’s Watch interface will showcase the company’s original content efforts, consisting of episodic shows that “follow a theme or storyline” and can be live or recorded. Watch carries a focus on recommendations, including a “Most Talked About” section among others:
We’re introducing Watch, a new platform for shows on Facebook. Watch will be available on mobile, on desktop and laptop, and in our TV apps. Shows are made up of episodes — live or recorded — and follow a theme or storyline. To help you keep up with the shows you follow, Watch has a Watchlist so you never miss out on the latest episodes
Watch is personalized to help you discover new shows, organized around what your friends and communities are watching.
For example, you’ll find sections like “Most Talked About,” which highlights shows that spark conversation, “What’s Making People Laugh,” which includes shows where many people have used the “Haha” reaction, and “What Friends Are Watching,” which helps you connect with friends about shows they too are following.
Facebook’s content will carry the same social aspect that its current live platform does. For instance, as you watch a show, you’ll see comments from other viewers as well as their emoji reactions. You’ll also be able to participate in a dedicated Facebook Group for individual shows.
Business Insider reports that Facebook will launch its full range of programming on August 28th, which includes roughly 40 shows from different publishing partners and studios. Eventually, Facebook says it will rollout ‘Shows,’ the platform for episodic content, to all content creators. Watch will start to rollout to a limited group of users soon and expand over time:
We’ll be introducing Watch to a limited group of people in the U.S. and plan to bring the experience to more people soon. Similarly, we’ll be opening up Shows to a limited group of creators and plan to roll out to all soon.
It seems as if Facebook isn’t exactly clear on what sort of content will be housed in the Watch tab. For instance, it’s unclear if you’ll be able to find Facebook’s original programming only in Watch or if you’ll see third-party videos as well.
More information can be found in Facebook’s announcement post right here.
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