Facebook mobile users would soon see a new Watch tab that offers a wide array of shows. It’s becoming the destination for viewers of programs. This of course makes FB a media company. However, qualifying for the label is not just a matter of pedants but also more on semantics, about the ambition of Facebook, its social obligations and the future of media.
MAKING THE FACEBOOK EXPERIENCE MUCH STICKIER
Facebook watch is all about making the experience much stickier, thus making users want to spend more and more time in the Facebook home. Today, with over two billion users, the social media giant wants to do much more in order to retain the interest of people who are logged in. Videos with high quality will do this, as will the eventual move of the company into live sports that has long been rumored but has not materialized yet. Power brings about responsibility and there have been instances when FB appeared uncomfortable with its social obligations. For example on the issue of fake news, despite having hundreds of thousands of new moderators, the company is determined not be an arbiter on what’s true or what’s false, preferring the user community to make the judgments.
FACEBOOK WATCH WILL ACCELERATE THE SHIFT TO AUDIENCE TREND
Across media, power shifts to audiences. The idea of editors to determine what users could read or for commissioners to determine what users will watch is getting weak. Schedules have become obsolete, albeit gradually. The Facebook watch hastens the trend. With a user base that’s massively larger than Netflix and YouTube combined, the social interactions performed when logged on to FB is recorded meticulously by the algorithms of the social network. This of course helps drive content promotion and distribution.
In any Facebook mobile application, convenience is king. The social network makes it more convenient to enjoy viewing experiences with no need to leave the platform. Mark Zuckerberg justifiably argues that this is a way to transfer more power to users. Watching video on FB has an amazing power of connecting people, foster community and spark and inspire conversation. On the social network, videos are discovered via friends and bring together communities. As more and more people enjoy the experience, they like the serendipity of discovering news on the News Feed. However, they also want a dedicated area where they could go to for watching videos.
THE VIDEO TAB IN THE UNITED STATES
Last year the Video Tab was launched in the United States, which offered a predictable space to find Facebook videos. Now, the company wants to make it even easier to catch up on shows. The new Watch is a new platform for shows. It would be available on desktop, mobile, laptop and in TV applications. Shows are made of episode, recorded or live and follow a storyline or theme. To help people keep up with the shows they follow, it has a watch list so they will not miss out on the latest episodes. Watch is personalized to help discover new shows that are organized on what friends and communities are viewing. For instance, there are sections such as ‘most talked about’ that includes shows wherein a lot of people used the Haha reaction. There is also the ‘what friends are watching’ that helps connect with friends regarding shows that they are following as well. In FB Live, people’s reactions and comments to a video often are much a part of the experience as the video itself. So when watching a show, one could see comments and connect with friends as well as other viewers while viewing or join in a dedicated FB Group for the show.
THE PLATFORM FOR SHOWS
Watch is the platform for all publishers and creators to look for an audience, create a community of passionate fans and also earn for their work. A wide range of FB shows could be successful, especially the following:
1. Shows that engage the fans and the community. Nas Daily publishes a daily show making videos together with fans all over the world. The Watchlist makes it easy for fans to catch a new episode daily.
2. Live shows that directly connect with fans. A New York Times bestselling author, Gabby Bernstein, life coach and motivational speaker, users a mix of live and recorded episodes for connecting with fans as well as answer queries in real time.
3. Live events which bring communities together. Major League Baseball broadcasts a game on Facebook every week, letting people view live baseball while connecting with friends as well as fellow platform fans.
4. Shows following a narrative arch or have a consistent theme. The show Tastemade’s Kitchen Little is a funny one about children who watch a how-to recipe video and then instruct professional chefs on how to make it. Every episode features a new chef, a new kid and a new recipe. The food, unsurprisingly does not always turn out as expected.
Watch would be home to a range of shows, from reality, comedy, to live sports. It’s exciting to see how publishers and creators use shows for connecting with fans and community.
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