YouTube Lives: Scaling up livestreams with CBC News
While I was YouTube Producer at CBC News, I could see that livestreams consistently hit above their weight when I pulled monthly analytics. On the surface, they had less overall viewers — however, those viewers were watching for double or triple the amount of time.
Goal: Scale up livestreams to deliver breaking news when it happens, so the audience can stay informed. Below you can see just a few of the livestreams I drove on YouTube. When I first began on the team we averaged out at about 15 lives per month. One year later, we ran about 40 per month. The process of creating a livestream involves proactive planning with stakeholders, packaging copy and visuals, and working with encoder to set up the stream.
Broadcast > YouTube: I developed the packaging and content workflows for shows such as Power & Politics and Rosemary Barton Live on YouTube.
FAST 24/7 stream: I experimented with CBC’s FAST stream, repackaging their 24/7 livestream on YouTube. We developed a “set it and forget” type of packaging that ensured the look remained familiar for loyal viewers while being a light lift for producers.
Raw pressers: I coordinated livestreams with the web and politics teams daily to prioritize what live press conferences we’d take for YouTube. This could range from political announcements to police updates.
CBC Specials: I worked cross-functionally to ensure CBC News Specials were scheduled, promoted and delivered on YouTube. This included specials such as New Years Eve, the election and a papal live cam.
Moderated live Q&As: I collaborated with our Ask team on several YouTube and TikTok live Q&As between reporters and social producers. Topics included wildfires, tariffs and the budget. Comments were left open so the audience could ask questions live. I was involved in packaging and set up for YouTube.
