Tidal is planning to join Netflix, Amazon, and YouTube in offering original TV content.
Jay Z’s premium music subscription service may still be struggling to take on Spotify and Apple Music in its own field, but it’s decided to branch out into an even more competitive market.
Variety reports that Tidal has ordered two new TV shows to air over the coming months. The first to be commissioned is a second series of Money & Violence, a Brooklyn street-life drama that had its first self-funded run on YouTube. It’s set to begin airing in January.
The second series to be commissioned by Tidal is No Small Talk, which profiles up-and-coming comedians. That’s set to debut on November 3.
Of course, Tidal already offers a range of exclusive video content, chiefly in the form of music videos and on-demand livestreams, with some short films also stirred into the mix. However, this is a whole new step into generating original long-form content.
Tidal’s senior VP artist and label relations Tim Riley has said that this is the natural next step for the company. “If someone is paying for Tidal, we want that to be the best experience they can have,” he said.
Related: Best music streaming services: Which to download
Other shows said to be in production include a profile series on emerging musicians, as well as some unspecified sports shows.
In recent weeks, Tidal CEO Jay-Z has been pictured meeting up with Samsung at its Silicon Valley offices, prompting some to wonder whether an acquisition is on the cards.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.