Is Facebook's News Shows on Watch an Olive Branch to Publishers?

The social network is picking up the entire tab, but media outlets will retain editorial control

After Facebook head of news products Alex Hardiman announced last week that the social network is funding an initiative to create news shows from 10 to 12 U.S. publishers for its Facebook Watch video platform, the social platform revealed details today about the first batch of series.

Neither Facebook nor any of the media companies behind the shows announced Wednesday would provide any further details on funding or advertising arrangements, but a source close to one of the publishers said the social network is fully funding the shows, and that it reached out to the publishers involved and basically said, “Come up with an idea and send us a budget.”

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