Twitter announces new live shows from the WNBA, BuzzFeed, Viacom and more
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Image Credits: Bryce Durbin/TechCrunch
Looks like Twitter’s streaming video news deal with Bloomberg was just the first of more than a dozen content partnerships that it’s announcing today.
The company unveiled the full slate at the NewFronts, where online publishers pitch their content to advertisers. (This was the first time Twitter’s held its own NewFronts presentation.)
Twitter has been ramping up its live video efforts over the past year, most noticeably in the pro sports world. Eventually, according to CFO and COO Anthony Noto, the company plans to air live video 24 hours a day, seven days a week — in fact, it sounds like two of these deals already get Twitter to that goal.
“You all have a front row seat to hear how we’re taking premium, professional, TV-quality video and pairing it with the speed, the interactivity and the access of Twitter,” said Matt Derella, Twitter’s vice president of global revenue and operations.
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Here’s a quick rundown of the announcements:
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- The WNBA will live stream a weekly regular-season game for 20 weeks this year, and again in 2018 and 2019.
- In addition to the weekly Major League Baseball game that already streams on Twitter, the MLB will air a weekly, three-hour show featuring highlights from the past week.
- The NFL will extend its live streaming relationship with Twitter, and it will now include exclusive daily programming.
- A new Stadium network will cover college sports 24/7.
- The Players’ Tribune will launch #Verified, a live show where athletes answer fan questions.
- The PGA Tour already live streams on Twitter, and it now says this will include 360-degree video from the 17th hole during the Players Championship.
- There’s that Bloomberg partnership, which involves 24/7 news coverage.
- The Verge will launch Circuit Breaker: The Verge’s Gadget Show, a live show hosted by Nilay Patel.
- BuzzFeed will be launching a morning news show called MorningFeed.
- Business news startup Cheddar will begin streaming its morning show Opening Bell on Twitter (it already streams its Closing Bell program in the afternoon).
- Viacom will be airing a number of events and awards shows, including the Video Music Awards.
- Dick Clark Productions will also be extending its deal to live stream from red carpets, including the American Music Awards.
- Live Nation will be airing concerts and other live content, starting with the Zac Brown Band on May 13.
- IMG Fashion will be streaming live video from Fashion Week and elsewhere.
- Propagate has plans for a daily entertainment show called #WhatsHappening.
And yes, these are all about live video specifically. After the announcements, CEO Jack Dorsey took the stage to remind the audience that Twitter’s mission is to tell its users “What’s happening?” The goal, he said, is to be “the first place that people hear about what matters.” He also thanked everyone for skipping the Met Gala — but after all, they can keep up on the Met Gala via Twitter.
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