Facebook has thrown down the gauntlet to streaming, by unveiling its own original video content, produced exclusively by its partners.

Faceflix

Facebook has rolled out original content to a small group of U.S. users via desktop, mobile, and TV apps, and it knows how to thank its partners.

Facebook’s production partners will earn 55% of ad break revenue as Facebook retains the remaining 45%, all made available through the brand new “Watch” tab to be found on Facebook homepages.

With the adaptation of sharing and likes to original programing, along with categories such as “Most Talked About,” “Shows Your Friends Are Watching,” and “What’s Making People Laugh,” publishers will be able to ensure a great deal more penetration and buzz.

The Lineup

A sample list has been announced, and though not exhaustive, the following will be in the leading lineup: A&E’s “Bae or Bail”, All Def Digital’s “Inside the Office”, and Billboard’s “How it Went Down”.

At present, programing is focusing on mini-docs, reality shows, and sports coverage, keeping away from longer scripted formats.

Facebook is primarily focused on a direct payment model with intentions of a revenue-share model in the future to make programing more sustainable.

The new draw of programing could ensure further penetration of existing news feeds, creating a self-cycling culture for even more consistent page traffic.

Facebook may be about to explode with a trifecta of content feeds, sharing, and programing. We’ll just have to tune in to find out.

Are you ready for original getting your programing through Facebook? Is it too much or overdue? Let us know what you think in our comments below.