What Facebook’s SVOD Experiment Signals For the Future

Facebook’s recent decision to use its platform to sell subscriptions to partner video services may be the solution to one of the streaming industry’s biggest obstacles — discoverability. While the new initiative is starting off with a small group of partners in the U.S. — BritBox, MotorTrend, CollegeHumor, and Tastemade — the results could lead to future opportunities for other small-to mid-sized services. One of the largest problems for those streaming services has been the ability to cut through the crowded space, with an estimated 200 services on the market and more than 5000 streaming apps available on Roku, the leading streaming player. “I’m surprised Facebook hasn’t done this already,” Parks Associate analyst Brett Sappington told TheWrap. “They have a huge following, and they know what people like. So why not have a way to be able to steer people towards particular service?” Facebook is expected to take a cut of each subscription it generates for its video partners, according to the Wall Street Journal. Also Read: Can ViacomCBS' 5 Separate Streaming Services Compete Against Bulked-Up Competitors? Just as it does with advertisements, the data-rich company could potentially suggest streaming services that match its users’ viewing and engagement habits. This...

Read original story What Facebook’s SVOD Experiment Signals For the Future At TheWrap