The value of live broadcasting platforms
Sunday, August 12th, 2007I’ve been introducing quite a few people to live broadcasts from Justin.tv and Chris Pirillo at live.pirillo.com (via UStream.tv). Most people check it out and go “huh” and tell me they’re not interested in watching either of them. Some get uneasy at the idea of being broadcast live across the Internet. I can understand that. However, what I tell them to watch for is not these particular personalities, but rather what they are doing. They are live broadcasting–inexpensively, with a minimal amount of equipment, and with mobile setups.
Compare what they are doing to let’s say a live remote on CNBC. Sure CNBC’s production value is much higher, but broadcasting live on a TV network requires lots more equipment, lots more people, and lots more money.
The Internet live broadcasters are bringing up the low end. Rapidly.
Take a look at Moguls.com to see how the low-end is invading the TV broadcasting metaphor too. Cue multiple cameras, recorded segments, and on and on. Create your own live or recorded TV station. Effortlessly. The advertising model that Mogulus is implementing I’m not so convinced of, but the idea here is simple and disruptive.
Justin’s personal channel may not be all that interesting, but then again the same setup can be used to give a live view from backstage at a concert, internationally broadcast a non-profit’s meetings, or share public events from a personal vantage point. At minimal cost. That’s the key. Focusing on whether the camera is broadcasting all the time, is paying attention to the wrong thing.