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Facebook Choosing Interactive Shows Over Prestige Series

During the 2018 Television Critics Association summer press tour, Facebook Watch executives gave their strategy for competing in the rapidly growing a changing digital streaming market. Fidji Simo, Vice President of Product at Facebook outlined their strategy, which is very different than other networks.

“We imagine every genre of television reinvented for an interactive experience.”

Facebook Watch is their plan to achieve this by making it possible for members of Facebook to watch their favorite videos together with friends and family through the Watch Party Platform.

There has not been an announcement for the release date of the Watch Party platform, but it is expected to be free to all Facebook users. Facebook is currently working on a show which is a singing competition, where users can nominate their friends and vote on performances through the platform. Facebook Watch has a variety of interactive programs to choose from, for example, SKAM Austin, a show in its second season which allows viewers to watch relationships and stories unfold in real time, and Confetti, an interactive game show that is quite similar to HQ trivia, where winners split cash.

The goal for Facebook Watch is to standout from streaming rock stars such as Netflix and Amazon. They will do this by making community interaction their main focus instead of making awards their priority. As Simo said, Facebook is not aiming for “big prestige TV drama”. They are instead searching for hits that will work towards their continued goals to create conversation and engagement among people and users.

Earlier this month, it came to our notice that a documentary series featuring soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo is being worked on at Facebook Watch. On Wednesday, Facebook Watch also announced Big Chicken Shaq, reality series- eight episodes that follow Shaquille O’Neal as he chases his dream of opening his own restaurant.