Snapchat is partnering with television companies to create special shows for its millennial audience — meaning you’ll see TV-like episodes flooding your Stories by the end of the year.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Snapchat is getting a boost of original content via deals with NBCUniversal, ESPN, ABC, Turner, NFL, and several others. The media companies would show original content — three- to five-minute minisodes similar to Planet Earth — in Snapchat’s Stories section.
The company is working with the TV producers to create interactive content to encourage audience engagement. It might even tweak the app’s famous disappearing act — shows currently on the app like The Voice on Snapchat disappear after two days — in order to give viewers more time to watch the complete episode.
This comes almost suspiciously soon after Twitter’s announcement that it would have 24/7 live video content — essentially its own TV-like network. Still, while Twitter will apparently focus on news, sports, fashion, and celebrity events, Snapchat is making room for scripted shows.
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While there’s no confirmation exactly what types of shows will be on the app, Snap’s notes to the companies have made it clear that it wants original content — no short promo-style clips of existing shows for Snapchat’s discerning audience. Reportedly, one idea is to spin original content off of House Hunters and Chopped.
via Ars Technica
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