Facebook is developing a “video-centric app” for devices like the Apple TV, looking to open up a new platform for its video content and compete with traditional television providers for ad revenue, The Wall Street Journal reports. People familiar with the development said the app is one of many projects centered around turning Facebook into a “video-first” company, with the company going so far as to discuss licensing “TV-quality programming” from various media companies.
With Facebook’s ad revenue growth slowing, employees have begun to see the company’s future as becoming a type of “mobile TV” that cuts into the time most people spend watching traditional live television broadcasts. Media executives familiar with the discussions said Apple is expressing interest in “scripted shows and sports and entertainment content created specifically for the platform,” although that content is expected to be capped at around 10 minutes in length.
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