While Facebook is a booming host for video content, be it Vox infographics or time-lapsed Tasty recipes, the social media giant isn't content with simply hosting video - it wants to start putting out some of its own.
It appears that Facebook is in the market to license out original video content, with interest ranging anywhere from scripted shows to game competitions to possibly even sports, according to Recode.
Though Facebook's recent push for video has included signing companies like Vox Media to produce exclusive live content, it's looking to bring more specialized entertainment to the Video tab.
"Our goal is to kickstart an ecosystem of partner content for the tab," says Ricky Van Veen, who recently joined Facebook to lead its original content efforts, "so we're exploring funding some seed video content, including original and licensed scripted, unscripted, and sports content, that takes advantage of mobile and the social interaction unique to Facebook."
20th Century Facebook presents....?
Considering that signing up for a Facebook account is free - and that the service has a stingy policy towards ads - it's unclear what the monetization incentive will be for partners of Facebook's original video venture.
Sports broadcasts, for instance, are extremely cagey about licensing out games without some kind of major return-on-investment, and usually a few hundred thousand 'likes' won't cut it.
Also uncertain is who the target demographic will be, considering Facebook has over a billion active daily users from all over the world.
Facebook's next step certainly creates more questions than answers, though we hope the firm takes a note from Netflix and brings quality programming instead of cheaper sharebait like YouTube's 'premium' prank shows.
