Phil Kurz /
04.12.2011 08:00 AM
YouTube rolls out live streaming as beta platform
YouTube announced April 8 the addition of live streamed video content and new browsing tools to make finding and subscribing to live content streams easier.
The latest component to the popular Web destination is called YouTube Live. What distinguishes YouTube Live differs from various live-streamed concerts, sports and interviews available in the past because it will present a more regular, predictable schedule of live streamed content. Past live streams were mostly available on a one-off basis.
An announcement of the new live service on the YouTube website said YouTube Live initially will be available as a beta platform. To maintain a quality viewing experience, YouTube plans an incremental rollout of live streaming over time with the goal of giving thousands of content partners the chance to participate in YouTube Live in the months ahead.
Initial communications to YouTube content providers posted on the Partner Communications Hub said no process exists for requesting live streaming for their accounts. All that’s necessary to participate as a content provider for YouTube Live is to have an account that is in good standing and to continue to be “an active uploader” who follows YouTube’s community guidelines.
Some of the initial live content offered on the beta platform includes: Indian Premier League Cricket from the “India Times,” “The Global Tobacco Epidemic,” by a Stanford University professor of history, and “Mortal Kombat Live Stream” from Machinima.com.