The big news we’ve been hearing about
It surely sounds like a blockbuster announcement and it kinda is in terms of Social Media and Digital innovations. After years of speculating, announcements and rumors, the Facebook TV is finally coming to our televisions. Not as an app, though, but as another social platform, producing serious television content. And this is only expected right? After domination of the computers and our smartphones, the only thing left is the TV. As the official statement from Facebook states: “Our video app for TV is a new way to enjoy Facebook videos on a bigger screen. With the app, you can watch videos shared by friends or Pages you follow, top live videos from around the world, and recommended videos based on your interests.” Dan Rose, Facebook’s VP of partnerships says “A lot of people when they’re watching video in News Feed during the day will save it for later, because they don’t have time to watch. Now it’s easy to watch on your TV if you want to do that. We want people to be able to consume content wherever they are – whether it’s on their phone, whether it’s on their computer — and TV is just another screen for that.”
Will Facebook become the new Netflix?
This is definitely a massive step for the social media platform; expanding to an entirely new medium. And at this point it is really tough to say. Even though the Facebook executives 
firmly state that they have no intention of making Facebook a “Netflix-killer” Facebook Inc. have already hired an MTV executive Mina Lefevre to develop and create original TV shows for the social network. And with over 1.79 billion monthly active users, the biggest social network might quickly grow into the biggest television network, right? Levere will be joining the team that is run by the co-founder of the College Humor, the well-known Ricky Van Veen and they will work on development of scripted and unscripted programming for Facebook. “I have always been drawn to the idea of building something and the idea of being part of the team that helps build Facebook’s original content ecosystem… well, that just seems like a dream!” Lefevre said.
Getting involved in this “history in the making”
The new standalone Facebook TV app will be 100% dedicated to video and will roll out to the Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Samsung Smart TV app stores and soon will expand on more platforms, as they say from Facebook. All Facebook users will be able to watch their friends’ videos as well as the videos posted by the pages they like. But the Facebook TV will go even further. The users will be able to get access to some of the top live videos from all around the globe. Pretty huge, right? And of course, being what it is, Facebook will collect all the videos you’ve watched to recommend you even more videos you might like to watch. So they will get you, the user, involved by all means!
Taking share of Facebook TV advertising
With the launch of the live video streaming, the social network has been testing the possible placement of ads in the videos. And being the second-largest company in online advertising, Facebook will find a way to emaciate advertising money from traditional TV. And this is the greatest opportunity. The company continuously hires executives to lead this achievement. They have been tirelessly negotiating with production companies, filmmakers and talent agents, about production of original videos and shows. So it will take almost no time when we get to know the ad rates and conditions for Facebook TV advertising and growing even more innovative together with our favorite social media platform. This surely means that brands should prepare their digital strategies with video content since 2017 is going to be all about it. If the Live videos were just a kick-start the Facebook TV will definitely become a marketer’s paradise.
Is Snapchat going to be first?
As the never-ending fight between two social networks continues, 
a lot of news is arriving on daily bases. As Facebook is preparing its TV app, Snapchat is not sitting still as well. They have been setting up content deals with broadcasters trying to bring original program offer on the platform as well. And as a part of the most recent deal with A+E Networks, Snapchat will start broadcasting its first unscripted original show on their platform. Even more remarkably, they have recently made a deal with E! Entertainment increasing content on Discover. They have also been working on many media partnerships with Turner, BBC Worldwide and the New York Times. Snapchats’ first unscripted original show will bring a weekly, eight-part unscripted series called Second Chance.
So, are we excited yet?
With the launch of their 2017 strategy, Facebook Inc. pointed that video will be in focus, leading the strategy. And in the era of all-screens it’s only logical to have Facebook TV and Snapchat Live Shows. But are we excited? Do we want to see even more of your friend’s cat videos or births of your neighbor’s babies? There will be mixed feelings and at the same time even more possibilities. Will our TV screens become mare extension of the other screens we daily use or are we facing an entirely new medium. Will the Influencers become celebrities? Will the brands place even more ads and reach even wider public? Let’s wait a just a little bit more and see how our favorite Social Media channels will addict us on this as they did with everything else 🙂
