Though Facebook Watch has struggled to attract younger users, but Facebook is expanding Watch’s 15-second ads outside the US.
More than a few dozen new countries will see the 15-sec ads. Facebook says that 40 countries have access to Ad breaks on eligible Pages. Also, Facebook is launching Watch on desktop globally and on Facebook Lite.
Some of the new countries that will have access to the Ad breaks include China (Hong Kong), India (Bangladesh), South Africa, Taiwan, Italy and Saudi Arabia.
Facebook isn’t giving up on Watch
The Information reported that the revenue that’s been generated from Facebook Watch has fallen below expectations. It’s struggled to find its audience. Facebook Watch released about a year and a half ago. In its life, Watch has tried and failed to take on YouTube and Twitch. Its overall viewership hasn’t even come close. A study conducted by Diffusion Group even claims about 50 percent of US adult Facebook users don’t even know Facebook Watch exists.
But the fact that Facebook continues to expand Watch’s ads globally (and release it on desktop) clearly shows that Facebook sees video as a extremely important asset.
Meanwhile, Facebook is cutting funding for news shows
This is all happening while Facebook is cutting funding for a few of its original news shows. Those shows were made in partnership with CNN, Buzzfeed, and ABC News, according to The Information.
To be clear, Facebook news content budget will remain at $90 million. That will not change. However. Reportedly, Facebook will put those extra funds into other programs.
Facebook seems to be focusing on classic television
Facebook partnered with MTV in October to bring back the reality show “The Real World.” It’s also being reported that Facebook is in talks with HBO to sell a subscription to the serve that would only be accessed in the mobile app.
It would appear that Facebook’s future plans for Facebook Watch is to have it’s own take on classic television programming. We’ll have to see if this helps Watch become more successful.
