Facebook's Bulletin newsletter service is now live, offering users a glimpse of a flexible news platform that puts creators at the forefront. However, there are a couple of things readers and aspiring journalists should keep in mind, as the platform is still in the early stages. At the same time, Bulletin does highlight how far the latest trillion-dollar tech company has come since 2004.
Over the years, Facebook has been extending its reach well beyond its social media platform roots, from acquiring Instagram and messaging service WhatsApp, to entering the Virtual Reality market through the purchase of Oculus VR. With over two billion active Facebook users, many of which regularly share news from within the platform itself, it was only a matter of time before the company tried its hand at the newsletter service business model. Last month, Facebook began rolling out podcasts to its app, and now it has introduced a new platform that further compliments the feature.
According to Facebook, Bulletin is a one-stop-shop where independent writers, industry experts and content creators can feature their written pieces and podcasts all in one place. Facebook Bulletin gives independent writers the means to find their audience, as well as offer them a wealth of tools that can help maximize their reach and monetize content. At the same time, it also offers readers an eclectic resource of both paid and free content to read or listen to, where subscription payments are handled securely using Facebook Pay.
Facebook aims to make Bulletin independent from its social media platform, which means users won't have to log in to read content, and the branding and promotional material of creators will be prioritized over the company's own. Creators gain access to various publishing, analytics and moderation tools that allow them to basically create their own standalone website. Of course, creators are also free to utilize Facebook's own platform tools, such as Pages, Groups and Live Audio Rooms, to help build their audience and distribute content. Other perks include access to legal resources, financial services and design support. What is arguably the biggest benefit, however, is the freedom to dictate subscription prices without Facebook taking a cut of the revenue.
For now, those interested might have to wait for Bulletin's worldwide launch as Facebook isn't accepting any new creators at the moment. Likewise, while users can already start reading articles on the Bulletin website, it is worth being aware that the content is somewhat limited at the moment. In due course, it should become clearer how Facebook's nascent newsroom platform stacks up against the likes og Substack, Patreon and Revue, and whether its stricter misinformation policies will help give it an edge in credibility against the rival services that have been around for longer.
Source: Facebook
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