The world’s largest social network, Facebook, has been dropping hints to become a source of original and well-produced videos, moving away from content produced solely by users.
Consequently, its chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has used his own Facebook page to unveil ‘Watch’.
“We believe it’s possible to rethink a lot of experiences through the lens of building community – including watching a video. Watching a show doesn’t have to be passive, it can be a chance to share an experience and bring people together who care about the same things.
“That’s why today (Thursday) we’re launching the ‘Watch’ tab on Facebook – a place where you can discover shows your friends are watching and follow your favourite shows and creators so you don’t miss any episodes. You’ll be able to chat and connect with people during an episode and join groups with people who like the same shows afterwards to build community,” Zuckerberg said in a Facebook post.
A slick one-minute video encourages users to find new shows and episodes based on what their friends are enjoying and to chat with other viewers as they watch.
‘Watch’ will offer programming ranging from professional women’s basketball to a safari show and a parenting program.
Facebook has teamed up with companies including Hearst and Time Inc. ahead of the launch which would initially be tested in the United States.
Eventually, the platform will be open to any show creator as a place to distribute video.
“We hope Watch will be home to a wide range of shows – from reality to comedy to live sports. Some will be made by professional creators, and others from regular people in our community. We’re starting to roll out the Watch tab to a limited number of people in the US, and the plan is to bring it to more people soon,” the Facebook founder added.
