Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been stressing on the importance of videos for a long time. Now, the social network has introduced Watch video platform to take on YouTube. Facebook will start rolling out an array of original shows along videos from other creators to a small group of U.S. users on mobile, desktop and Facebook’s TV apps.
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By foraying into video streaming, Facebook is also competing with the established players like Amazon and Netflix. Watch will have video 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.
Some of the shows to be featured on Watch include Returning the Favor with Dirty Jobs star Mike Rowe, a weekly live Major League Baseball game, and the A&E series Bae or Bail. There’s also Nas Daily, a show where Nuseir Yassin makes videos with his fans, and Kitchen Little, a show where kids tell professional chefs how to cook based on DIY videos they watched. Facebook latest venture into the video programming could rope in major revenue for the company if it becomes a hit.
Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO wrote in a post,
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 we’re launching the Watch tab in Facebook a place where you can discover shows your friends are watching and follow your favorite 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.