The ABC has put its 24-hour news channel, News24, on YouTube, as part of its strategy to integrate its offerings into social media.
News24 can now be integrated into YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. The ABC says: “It means users no longer need to leave these platforms to access the live ABC News 24 stream online.”
The YouTube service also enables third party websites such as this one to stream News24:
News24 is also streaming in higher quality on the ABC’s website at http://www.abc.net.au/news/abcnews24/.
Text of media statement from the ABC.
ABC News 24: Breaking New Ground In Social Media
In an Australian first, ABC News 24 is integrating the channel’s live news and other programs into YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, so viewers can watch live news within their favourite social network. It means users no longer need to leave these platforms to access the live ABC News 24 stream online.
From today, ABC News 24 can be watched live within YouTube, Facebook and Twitter with ‘YouTube live streaming’ at: http://bit.ly/abcnewsnow.
“Now when news breaks, viewers can watch rolling news unfold live without leaving their social networks. They can tweet, post comments, and share live events with contacts and friends while continuing to watch ABC News 24 in the same browser window,” said ABC News 24 Controller Gaven Morris.
The new service is made possible through ‘YouTube live streaming’, and ABC News 24 is the first Australian broadcaster to take advantage of the platform. The move continues ABC News’ vision of delivering news the way audiences want it.
“This exciting innovation is another example of the ABC expanding the way audiences can engage with news, and it provides another option to watch News 24 online,” Mr Morris said. “We have been in the YouTube space for some time with ABC News content, but we’re really looking at how we can develop and strengthen our overall YouTube strategy.”
ABC News’ existing YouTube channel receives one million views a month, and recently made international headlines when it captured Julia Gillard’s accusations of misogyny in Federal Parliament – which was viewed well over two million times.
ABC News 24 is Australia’s most watched news channel, on average reaching 3.4 million people a week nationally. **Source Oztam & RegionalTAM (Wks 1-43 2012)
In 2012, ABC News 24 recorded a monthly average of 319,000 live streams via iview and the ABC News 24 site. **Source: Webtrends (Jan-Nov 2012)
To switch the service on, place this link into Facebook or Twitter and it will embed the stream http://bit.ly/abcnewsnow or just go to www.youtube.com/NewsOnABC to watch ABC News 24 live.
Find out more by viewing our News 24 YouTube live streaming promo: http://bit.ly/24onsocial
