Facebook launches online video viewing platform, free football broadcasting?

Facebook launched its Watch platform as users are shifting their viewing habits from traditional TV to online apps like Netflix and Hulu, not to mention the growing number of people watching through professional and consumer platforms like YouTube.

Facebook is ramping up its video offerings and this week announced new formats including interactive games, quizzes and polls.

The launch of its Watch streaming platform comes two weeks after Facebook revealed it would broadcast Spanish La Liga football matches for free in the Indian subcontinent, as well as Champions League matches in Latin America.

According to Ms. Fidji Simo, Vice President of Video at Facebook, affirmed that the content that Facebook sponsors is only a very small part of the content available on Watch. Facebook also hopes that user-created video products will become the main factor attracting online video viewers.

According to Ms. Simo, Facebook has spent a lot of time developing tools for video creators to integrate their own ads. In particular, Facebook has always believed that making a profit will help stimulate creativity.

Like Amazon, Youtube, and Netflix, Facebook has entered the world of online video streaming. Accordingly, the social networking site launched its Watch video platform in the US in August 2017.

Facebook Watch, which features a wide variety of videos, from documentaries to live sporting events, is monetized through advertising, with 55% of revenue going to production partners and 45% going to Facebook.

Due to the huge demand for watching videos online, Facebook has made efforts to create a different Watch platform, in which the original video content viewed through Watch is exclusive, cannot be viewed on other platforms, and because it makes money through advertising, even though it is free to watch, users are forced to log in to their accounts.