One of the calls for media companies has been the sentiment to take back control of Facebook’s News Feed, the social network’s main source of news, where posts are sorted according to an opaque computer program. . The lack of control has made reaching users — even those who intentionally follow media brands — more competitive.
With Live, however, live streams show up higher in users’ feeds – a priority Facebook has publicly recognized. The service also notifies users through mobile apps when friends and pages they follow start streaming.
So far, putting video on the service can only be done using a Facebook app on a mobile device. But Facebook is considering letting media partners broadcast live video using their own professional-grade studio recording equipment, according to two of the people with knowledge of the company’s plans. The new efforts could introduce a set of more polished and professional live programs for Facebook audiences.
Facebook’s ability to bring together large audiences will help Live compete with Twitter’s Periscope, an app that helped popularize live streaming on mobile last year. Periscope has grown rapidly, according to the company. But companies that have used both products say raw viewership favors Facebook.
YouTube, the largest online video site, is in the early stages of building its own mobile live video app, according to a former Google executive who owns YouTube. The person, who had discussions about the potential app, spoke on condition of anonymity as the project was still in development. (The project was reported earlier by VentureBeat.)
Donald Alexander, director of social media and audience development at TMZ, the gossip news site, said: “With Facebook promoting the Live platform so much, at some point I think it could take his own life.”
Mr. Alexander said TMZ is focusing on Facebook rather than other platforms, like Periscope. But asked about specific discussions with Facebook regarding advertising, subscriptions and changes to the technology product, Mr Alexander replied: “I have to be honest – they’re keeping it a bit to themselves at the moment.”
