Facebook and Twitter are battling to win the right to stream conventional TV programming, The Post has learned.
Both companies, eager to ramp up their capacity to deliver compelling live streaming video, have approached programmers about a deal for such rights, several sources familiar with the situation said.
Facebook, which is already pitching the NFL to acquire rights to a new Thursday Night Football digital package, has been in meetings with a wide variety of TV executives over the past few weeks, sources said.
Late last year, it created a new product, “Facebook Live,” something akin to YouTube.
“It’s personal, social, real-time and authentic, and we’re just starting to understand its potential,” Facebook said in a statement on Friday. “To that end, we’re testing different ways to support partners so they begin experimenting with Facebook Live in a way that fits with our platform. We believe that live video on Facebook is a different and complementary experience to conventional TV programming.
“We have an early beta program for a small number of partners to help support them as they explore Facebook Live, and our goal with live video is to work with our partners to move to a sustainable monetization model quickly,” the statement read. “We are not focused on acquiring the rights to conventional TV programs.”
Facebook discussed the possibility of creating a skinny bundle of channels to deliver the programming to its 1 billion-plus users, said one person who heard the pitch.
It is not known how Mark Zuckerberg’s social network would deliver the shows, said sources who heard the pitch.
“They have talked about it, but no one’s seen a demo yet,” said one source familiar with conversations.
With the initial pitches made, the major programmers are currently weighing whether the new global streaming deals are good or bad for their businesses, one top TV exec told The Post.
One thing to consider is the mixed results of programmers’ distribution deals with Netflix — and whether that deal has been a good long-term play.
On the upside, getting programming onto social platforms is a way to reach a younger audience in today’s mobile environment — and point them back to TV, sources noted.
“All of a sudden, Facebook and Twitter are trying to get in the tent with us,” one programmer told The Post. “They’re each arguing their attributes and why aligning with them is to our advantage.”
Programmers want to know how Facebook and Twitter, which have built their platforms on free content — just as YouTube has done — will allow the content owners to make money.
“So far, YouTube is the only one making money,” the executive said.
Twitter has been telling TV programmers that they can help bring younger viewers to TV networks with the click of a button, sources said.
On the downside, premium content providers make social networks — and not traditional televisions — an even more enticing place to spend time.
A Facebook TV product could be the holy grail for both programmers and advertisers, ad agencies said.
Currently, programmers know much less than their distribution partners about who’s watching TV.
With more specific viewer data, TV programmers could charge more for their shows.
In February, Zuckerberg said he was “obsessed” with live video and that it is “one of the things I’m most excited about,” according to Re/code.
Twitter did not respond to a request for comment.