Ashton's KatalystHQ Limits Views with Facebook Distribution

Given that it was shot completely with The Flip camera, Ashton Kutcher’s newest online show, KatalystHQ (the namesake of his all-media entertainment production studio Katalyst Media), has pretty impressive production value.  But that is about the extent of my praise for a show with a half-baked concept that’s probably better left to those that created it.

Ah, I can be too harsh, I guess; I did get a few chuckles out of the preppy-office-Ashton-as-an-assassin, but I probably won’t seek out another episode, only partially because I have to use that annoying Slide FunSpace Facebok application to watch it.

The show, which was supposedly designed for the Facebook application, aims to take “a voyeuristic look into the inner workings of a Hollywood-based entertainment company” and is the second webshow to premier exclusively on the social networking behemoth (Diaries was the first).

Unlike MySpace and Bebo, which have struck deals with PromQueen and KateModern respectively, Facebook, focused on technology, is decidedly uninterested in content partnerships, a spokesperson telling NewTeeVee’s Liz Gannes said that such content is “far off the company’s radar.”

And while exclusive windows and promotion partnerships are certainly an important component of the online entertainment business, this particular distribution deal seems to limit the reach of the content. It has the potential to reach all of FunSpace’s 12.5 million active users, but how many of you will click beyond this post to watch it?

I can’t share it in my away message. I can’t tweet about it. I can’t easily send a link to friends.

An interesting integration for a Facebook application seeking some buzz, but a puzzling tactic for an entertainment brand trying to cast a broad net of appeal.

For a very thorough description and active commentary, I recommend Liz’s post.