Facebook is in talks with Hollywood studios about producing scripted, TV-quality shows, with an aim of launching original programming by late summer, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.
The social networking giant has indicated that it was willing to commit to production budgets as high as $3 million per episode, in meetings with Hollywood talent agencies, the Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
Facebook is hoping to target audiences from ages 13 to 34, with a focus on the 17 to 30 range. The company has already lined up “Strangers”, a relationship drama, and a game show, “Last State Standing”, the report said.
“We’re focused on episodic shows and helping all our partners understand what works across different verticals and topics,” said Nick Grudin, Facebook’s vice president for media partnerships.
The company is expected to release episodes in a traditional manner, instead of dropping an entire season in one go like Netflix and Amazon.com.
