More details have emerged of Facebook’s foray into original content creation.
The social network is funding a project led by Ricky Van Veen, co-founder of comedy site College Humor. It’s also attempting to revive Loosely Exactly Nicole a show that pulled MTV just 200,000 viewers in the United States, according to Hollywood Reporter. Add to this deals to stream live baseball in the United States and football in Mexico.
Facebook also has a dedicated app for Apple TV and Android-based smart TVs.
Based on what we know so far its efforts are closer to the comedy centric original YouTube videos than the multi-million pound investments made by Netflix. Moreover, it’s assuming that US humour will travel, which anyone who has followed the attempts to run US late night talk shows outside of their home market will know isn’t a given.
Loosely Exactly Nicole had a small, but dedicated following. On a larger scale think of the Amazon revival of BBC show Ripper Street, then bought back by the corporation, and moved to BBC Two.
Earlier this month Apple blurred the lines between platform and TV with the debut of the Dragon’s Den-like Planer of the Apps.
