Snapchat doubles down on shows (SNAP)

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Snapchat plans on doubling the number of TV-like shows it releases on the platform this year to 80,Digidayreports.

The company is looking to engage more digital companies beyond the traditional TV networks like ESPN and A+E Networks it typically works with, recently ordering at least one show each from Conde Nast Entertainment and Group Nine Media, for example. This effort highlights Snapchat’s broader push to lure TV ad spend as eyeballs shift away from linear TV to digital platforms.

Creating shows for Snapchat is an attractive proposition to TV networks and publishers for several reasons:

The ability to reach young users who aren’t on Facebook or Instagram.
79%
Snapchat shows are gaining traction among users.
Evan Spiegel
tens of millions
Show producers retain ownership over their programs.
Digiday

Snapchat isn’t subsidizing the production of shows, though, which could be a barrier for small publishers. Additionally, monetization has been an issue for some Snapchat show partners. The company has struggled to fill the ad slots on some of its shows in the past, according to an October report by Digiday, while CNN pulled the plug on its daily Snapchat news show due to low monetization. Nonetheless, the platform just beat daily user expectations for its first time ever as a public company, and this reinvigorated user growth could also encourage companies to create shows for Snapchat.

BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, has put together a detailed report on social video that:

Assesses the evolving social video landscape, with attention to Facebook, YouTube, Snap, and Instagram.
Analyzes the relative strengths of each platform from a product, distribution, audience, and monetization perspective.
Looks at what’s next for the industry, so that media creators and brands can invest for the future.

Interested in getting the full report? Here are two ways to access it: