Spotify is canceling its original TV programming in an attempt to its reboot video projects, Bloomberg reported on Thursday. This is at least the third time in three years that the music streaming service has sought to start from scratch with video.
The company announced back in 2016 that it was developing twelve original TV shows consisting of 15-minute episodes having to do with music and pop culture. Back then it had also previewed plans for a second wave of comedy and cartoon shows. Spotify also struck licensing deals with a number of TV production companies in 2015, including ABC, Adult Swim, and Comedy Central.
Original shows that will now be axed include a knock-off of “Carpool Karaoke” called “Traffic Jams,” and “Spotify Landmark,” which is a series documenting milestones in music history.
The move to cancel comes as Spotify looks to find other ways to make profit besides music and royalties. As The Verge points out, licensing fees eat up around 80 percent of its revenue stream. In May, the company reported that its losses in 2016 were around $637 million, so the desire for earnings through video ads is unsurprising.
Spotify hopes to rejigger its video content in a way specifically tailored to the platform, though specific details have yet to be released.
