Social networks are creating their own TV shows, as streaming war rages

Even as Disney, HBO and Apple lavish billions on content to gatecrash TV streaming wars, social networks like Facebook, YouTube and Snapchat are creating their own original shows to get their piece of the advertising pie. 

Historically, these three social networks are better known for hosting user-generated content.

But in recent years, each has invested in scripted programming which is free to view - unlike the streaming giants, who charge subscriptions.

At one stage, YouTube planned to charge for shows such as "Karate Kid" spinoff "Cobra Kai" and Generation Z comedy "Liza on Demand" using its premium service. But it backtracked this year.

Free access "gives advertisers more opportunities to engage with a broader audience ... and align with top Hollywood talent and YouTube creators," the company said in May.

For YouTube, which has at times been condemned for the questionable content posted by users, offering high-quality series with production values matching conventional television also burnishes its reputation.

Quality not quantity 

Mark Beal, a Rutgers professor who wrote a book (Decoding Gen Z) on the generation born since the mid-1990s, said young people "do not respond to...