Facebook’s Watch takes on Google’s YouTube

In an apparent bid to take on Google-owned YouTube, Facebook has rolled out “Watch”— a redesigned video platform for creators and publishers.

The social media giant last year launched “Video” tab in the US which offered a predictable place to find videos on Facebook.

“Now we want to make it even easier to catch up with shows you love. We’re introducing ‘Watch’, a new platform for shows on Facebook. ‘Watch’ will be available on mobile, on desktop and laptop and in our TV apps,” Daniel Danker, Director of Product at Facebook wrote in a blog post on Wednesday.

Shows are made up of episodes—live or recorded— and follow a theme or storyline.

“To help you keep up with the shows you follow, Watch has a ‘Watchlist’ so you never miss out on the latest episodes,” she added.

The shows available include “Nas Daily”, “Gabby Bernstein” and “Kitchen Little”.

“Nas Daily” publishes a daily show where he makes videos together with his fans from around the world.

Gabby Bernstein, a New York Times bestselling author, uses a combination of recorded and live episodes to connect with her fans and answer questions in real time.

Tastemade’s “Kitchen Little” is a funny show about kids who watch a how-to video of a recipe, then instruct professional chefs on how to make it.

Facebook has also signed a deal with Major League Baseball to broadcast one live game per week.

“To help inspire creators and seed the ecosystem, we’ve also funded some shows that are examples of community- oriented and episodic video series,” Facebook said. IANS