Facebook Watch to Launch News Shows From Anderson Cooper, Fox News, Univision
Following a much-publicized battle with fake news before and after the 2016 election, Facebook is set to debut several news shows fully funded by the social network this summer, including a nightly show hosted by CNN’s Anderson Cooper.
Facebook Watch, the company’s budding video platform, will release shows from seven outlets overall: Fox News, CNN, Univision, ABC News, Advance Local, along with ATTN: and Mic. The shows, despite being paid for by Facebook, will have “full editorial control,” according to a blog post from Campbell Brown, Facebook’s Head of Global News Partnerships, on Tuesday.
“Earlier this year we made a commitment to show news that is trustworthy, informative, and local on Facebook,” added Brown. “As a part of that commitment, we are creating a dedicated section within Watch for news shows produced exclusively for Facebook by news publishers. With this effort, we are testing a destination for high quality and timely news content on the platform.”
Also Read: Catherine Zeta-Jones to Star in Facebook Watch's Dark Comedy 'Queen America'
Cooper’s new show, “Full Circle,” will air at 6:25 p.m. ET on weekdays. The show will be hosted from Cooper’s New York City studio, and shot vertically to make it “mobile friendly,” according to the social network. Shepard Smith will host the afternoon edition of “Fox News Update,” a daily breaking news show, which will also include segments from Carley Shimkus in the morning and Abby Huntsman giving updates on Saturday and Sunday.
Facebook has turned to ABC News for a daily show, tentatively titled “On Location,” that will “showcase all of the brilliant on-the-ground reporting from our journalists around the world,” according to a memo ABC News President James Goldston sent his staff on Tuesday. And longtime journalist Jorge Ramos is set to host Univision’s “Real America,” focusing on immigrants in the U.S.
The push into news comes after CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said he’s “dead serious” on fixing the spread of misinformation on the platform.
Also Read: LaVar Ball Gets the Kardashian Treatment in Trailer for Facebook Series (Video)
Facebook did not disclose how much it is paying to launch its slate of news shows, but a recent Digiday report pegged annual budgets for its daily shows between $5-10 million. For weekly shows — like “Undivided Attn:,” which will look at the biggest issues from the previous week — Facebook is willing to pay between $1-2 million, according to the report.
Launched last summer, Watch has so far featured original Facebook programming like “Tom vs. Time,” a show following Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and includes cameos from his wife, Gisele Bündchen.
For a complete look at the news shows coming to Watch, check out the descriptions provided by Facebook below:
ABC News’ “On Location” [working title] is a daily news show with ABC News journalists from around the globe delivering on-the-ground reporting and the top headlines that are driving the day.
Advance Local’s “Chasing Corruption” In Alabama Media Group’s Chasing Corruption’s weekly series, host Ian Hoppe and the Reckon by AL.com team travel across the USA to meet some of America’s toughest watchdog journalists — and the stories of conspiracy, bribery, fraud and more they’ve uncovered.
ATTN:’s “Undivided ATTN:” is a weekly explainer show that breaks down the biggest issue of the week. In 3-5 minute episodes hosted by a rotating cast of social influencers, Undivided ATTN: will provide context on the stories everybody’s talking about.
CNN’s “Anderson Cooper Full Circle” is a daily global brief on the world, M-F evenings featuring Anderson Cooper and a roster of guests. The interactive program will air live from Anderson’s New York City newsroom in mobile-friendly vertical video.
FOX News’ “Fox News Update” will focus on up-to-the minute breaking news and the most compelling stories of the day. FNC’s chief news anchor Shepard Smith will report the latest news each weekday afternoon, with Carley Shimkus updating viewers every morning. Additionally, Abby Huntsman will provide the latest headlines once each morning throughout the weekend.
Mic’s “Mic Dispatch” reveals the world as we see it: complicated, diverse and full of potential. Mic correspondents on this new, twice-weekly show go beyond the headlines to profile the underrepresented, the problem-solvers and the provocateurs.”
Univision’s “Real America with Jorge Ramos” Award-winning journalist, anchor and author Jorge Ramos travels the country to talk to immigrants of diverse backgrounds and situations, delivering a rarely covered view of today’s America from their perspective. Univision will also cover the top stories in Spanish at noon every day on Watch with “Noticiero Univision Edición Digital.”
Related stories from TheWrap:
Facebook Shuts Down 'Trending' Topics, Tests 'Breaking News' Feature
Jesse Jackson Grills Mark Zuckerberg Over Facebook's Lack of Diversity: 'Top 15 Employees Are White'
Facebook Not as Cool as Snapchat and YouTube Among Teens, Study Shows
