Facebook pays celebs to live stream: Is it worth $50 million? (The 3:59, Ep. 66)
We discuss Facebook obsessing over live video, Playstation Vue making it easier to cut the cord, and Amazon Video catching up with Netflix.
Facebook is in love with live streaming, and it's paying celebrities and media companies $50 million to fall for the mania too.
The world's biggest social network reportedly signed deals with almost 140 people and publishers to broadcast video live to news feeds. Facebook has been enticing big names to join Facebook Live for months, but a Wall Street Journal report Wednesday put clear numbers on the campaign.
We also discuss video streaming of other stripes: Playstation widened its Vue online TV service to more devices -- like Roku and, soon, Android -- which gives consumers more options for cutting the cord. And Amazon's video service has surged in usage, leaping to No.3 by traffic behind Netflix and YouTube.
The 3:59 gives you bite-size news and analysis about the top stories of the day, brought to you by CNET Executive Editor Roger Cheng, Senior Writer Ben Fox Rubin and Producer Bryan VanGelder.
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