Snapchat and NBC sign a deal to create original content

Comcast Corp’s NBC Universal said on Monday it has signed a multi-year content and advertising deal with Snapchat to produce original shows for the messaging app.  The first of these shows to premiere will be “The Voice on Snapchat”, based on the reality singing show “The Voice”, will debut on Aug. 22, NBC said in an emailed statement. E! Entertainment’s E! News will debut a weekly series starting Sept. 8 that will also have original content for Snapchat, NBC said. Other NBC shows such as “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and “Saturday Night Live” will be available on Snapchat later, NBC said. As part of the deal, NBC Universal will develop and sell advertising packages, including Snapchat’s, into its sponsorship, mobile and video offerings, the broadcaster said. This is not the first deal between the parties. It builds on NBC Universal’s Olympics Snapchat partnership with BuzzFeed to show highlights from the 2016 Olympics. These deals show the broadcaster’s effort to woo younger audiences who are increasingly shifting to online media for their entertainment fix, ditching traditional cable services, a trend called ‘cord-cutting’. Snapchat, which has more 100 million users, is known for automatically making posts disappear after 24 hours. Reuters