Australian Broadcasters sign new deals to produce exclusive video content for FACEBOOK

Facebook has announced a series of new content deals with several Australian TV Broadcasters, in a move designed to build a sustainable video business on the social platform.

Premium news content from broadcasters including Nine, Seven, SBS, Sky News and 10 will be available on Facebook Watch from today.

Facebook will provide funding for the new project, as the platform seeks to create exclusive, relevant and timely news video for its online audience. 

Included in the deals, is a new nightly news program from NINE hosted by Sylvia Jeffreys. The former TODAY presenter will host a new 8pm weeknight bulletin 9NewsWatch.

Facebook is promising publisher partners will have full editorial control over the content. Partners will collaborate with Facebook to understand which stories, topics and formats are resonating with audiences.

Campbell Brown, Vice President Global News Partnerships at Facebook said,

“This is exactly the kind of partnership we want to have with the news industry. Australia’s newsrooms are doing innovative, high-quality work with video. Facebook is proud to support their great journalism and excited to bring this work to Watch.”

The upcoming original news programming coming to Facebook Watch are: 

7NEWS

As part of the partnership, 7NEWS has created ‘The Latest on Facebook Watch’ – a fast-paced daily news show hosted by 7NEWS anchor Michael Usher. 

With connection and conversation our focus, Michael will be your guide to the day – breaking down the news, unpacking trending videos and interviewing news makers.

The show will be produced in a brand-new purpose built ‘7NEWS.com.au Studio’

The space has been custom designed for a mobile audience, providing 7NEWS with a dedicated home for the creation of premium, original online video content.

Craig McPherson, Seven Network, Director of News and Public Affairs, said:

“7NEWS will provide a high quality service to Facebook which I’m sure will be mutually beneficial. It’s great for original content makers to now get revenue for our product from Facebook and we look forward to furnishing a profitable ongoing relationship.”

Nine News

9NewsWatch with Sylvia Jeffreys will utilise cutting edge technology and the Facebook platform to transform the way news is gathered, broadcast and viewed. Premiering at 8pm weeknights 9NewsWatch will place the viewer at the heart of the program. The content will be innovative, in-depth and unlike any other news offering in Australia.

Alexander Needs, Director of Partnerships and Strategy for Nine News and Current Affairs:

“The opportunity for Nine in producing 9NewsWatch is significant because it will enable us to test how we best use Facebook alongside our premium content brands. 9NewsWatch with Sylvia Jeffreys will experiment with premium news content in new and innovative ways which we are confident people will love.”

Network 10

10’s partnership will extend 10 News First’s national and state-based news bulletins onto Facebook Watch. ’10 News First on Facebook Watch’ will deliver national and local news bulletins every day, hosted by 10’s talented team of news journalists. With a highly engaged Facebook audience of close to a million followers and a weekly reach of two million, Network 10’s The Project will also optimise its agenda-setting news and entertainment content to reach social audiences.

Ross Dagan, Network 10, Director of News Content, said:

“Social media has changed the way audiences discover, consume and share news content. This partnership ensures audiences can access the important stories and original content produced by our teams for our trusted news brands, including 10 News First, Studio 10 and 10 Daily, as they are scrolling through Facebook. 10’s partnership will include exclusive and original content from 10 Daily and 10 News First, as well as extended and catch-up offerings.”

SBS

Jim Carroll, Director of News and Current Affairs, SBS, said:

“Core to SBS’s purpose is telling unique stories from Australia’s multicultural and Indigenous communities. These are stories that inspire, inform and often surprise our audiences and by extending the reach of existing content from SBS World News, The Feed, Dateline, Insight and Small Business Secrets, this partnership with Facebook enables even more Australians to engage with SBS’s trusted News and Current Affairs.”

Sky News

‘Unpacked’ is a daily news show taking a deep-dive into a major news story each day, speaking with expert guests as well as reporting from the field to provide a unique point of view from everyday Australians.

Junkee Media

The Takeaway is a nightly news show that delves deep into the trending topic of the day and dissects it from every angle.

PedestrianTV

In a weekly interview series over three months, PEDESTRIAN. TV’s ’15 Minutes’ will go behind some of the most memorable headlines in Aussie news history to understand the highs of virality – the fame, the fortune, the opened doors – and the lows, when the attention inevitably dries up and you’re left to deal with the aftermath of becoming a meme. All from those who’ve been there.