Snapchat May Create Original Scripted Programming Later This Year
The platform known for its automatically disappearing videos is hoping original content will make viewers stick around a little longer. Speaking at the Edinburgh International Television Festival, Nick Bell, Snapchat's head of content, said his company will likely feature original scripted programming by the end of this year. The would be "an interesting next juncture," Variety quoted him as saying.
If it happens, these won't be TV-style productions, but three to five minute stories that work better on the mobile platform.
Bell spent most of the interview talking up Snapchat's success with TV and movie studios. Companion shows to The Voice and The Bachelor have done well, and Snapchat has hosted original sketches from Saturday Night Live and a news show from NBC. Several studios are on board to create programming, with NBC, ABC, the BBC, Vice Media, and Time Warner all signing on. Bell said several partner productions were profitable, but didn't give specifics.
Offering advice for studios looking to take part, Bell said videos that support an established property but are still able to stand by themselves work best. Simply creating behind-the-scenes video isn't enough to resonate with the Snapchat audience, he said.
This actually wouldn't be Snapchat's first venture in original programming, as it created a poorly received show in 2015 called Literally Can't Even.
Snapchat has had a tumultuous time since going public earlier this year, with disappointing earnings reports reducing its stock price. Still, it's had several impressive deals with partners, such as advertising and marketing company WPP announcing it will double its Snapchat budget to $200 million this year.
Related Articles
Just days after its surprisingly good quarterly earnings report, Snap says it's getting in the Olympic spirit and making NBC its first live TV partner.
08 Feb 2018
Snapchat videos expire after 24 hours, but the images they show can remain burned into viewers' memories for far longer.
12 Jan 2018
In a bid to expand beyond its own walled garden, Snapchat is creating a way to embed videos on web pages. Could this give the platform the boost it needs?
28 Dec 2017
Snap's value tumbled quickly from its IPO high while Facebook continues to eat its lunch, but don't count the social video service out just yet.
06 Aug 2017
Snap Inc. has dropped between $30 million and $40 million on an Israeli augmented reality company, but the real prize might be the company founders.
30 Dec 2016
In a continuation of its 2015 Series F round, Snapchat takes $175 million from Fidelity Investments, bringing its funding total to $1.3 billion.
07 Mar 2016