Live Streaming for News Stations

The Evolution of News Broadcasting

Up until the 70s, newspapers were at the height of their excellency. Just think about paper boys and girls in movies and TV shows biking from door to door delivering the daily paper. In 1980, CNN became the first cable news channel that ran 24/7.

Today, CNN is still a popular 24/7 Cable News broadcaster. However, the internet gave rise to a different news medium, more specifically, the possibility to conduct live streaming on your own website.

The Egyptian Revolution or the start of the ‘Arab Spring’ is often referred to as the ‘Social Media/Internet Revolution’. Citizens mobilized through social media to fight against an authoritarian government. As a society, we have outgrown Cable News or traditional TV channels that offer one-way communication.

We have become accustomed to interacting with each other and having a say about what is happening around the world.

While cable news is here to stay, many news broadcasters also have websites where they broadcast live news including CNN, BBC, and Sky News. This gives them an upper hand since people today are constantly on the go. We can often be found on our phones, laptops, tablets, or Smart TVs.

You may or may not have heard of the term ‘Wireless’. It’s pretty popular these days. People are trying to cut the ‘cable’ and go wireless with everything in their lives.

Advantages of Online News Broadcasts

According to researchers, TV and cable news consumption has decreased for all demographics, including Boomers (57-75 years old), Generation X (41-56 years old), Millennials (25-40 years old), and Generation Z ( up to 24 years old). It appears that social media and online news has become more accessible around the world to all ages.

Online news has plenty of advantages including:

  • Instant updates
  • Quick access anywhere and at any time
  • More news choices
  • Can discuss with peers
  • Existence of multiple viewpoints
  • In-depth background information- easy to navigate
  • Opportunity to “talk back to the media”

Live Streaming for News Channels

Create a Plan

Are you just starting out in news broadcasting? Or are you an experienced cable news broadcaster hoping to diversify your agency and reach a larger audience?

The actual live streaming and broadcasting is pretty straightforward and easy to do. The planning, strategies, and setting of goals is the issue. Ask yourself what the purpose of news broadcasting on your website is and who you are trying to reach. Lucky (or unlucky) for you is that everyone needs to stay up to date with the news and your audience can be found anywhere.

For instance, if you are a local news broadcaster reporting on local news like city or state news, you will have to target those in your geographic area. If you are a national news broadcaster, you are broadcasting to a whole country, so keep that in mind.

Find a Streaming Solution

Here at WpStream, we provide you with a platform to live stream your news channels , create Video-on-Demand, and Pay-Per-View videos. With an affordable and user-friendly experience, you can dedicate more time to the content of your broadcast and less worrying about streaming technicalities. Each of our subscription plans is carefully set up and whether you broadcast 24/7, a few times a day, or a few times a week, we have a plan for you . 

WpStream can be used on any WordPress website and it is possible to stream from your browser or by using specialized RTMP broadcast software such as OBS, WireCast, or vMix. To guide you, we have numerous video tutorials on our YouTube channel. You can even choose to monetize your live broadcasts or videos.

Equipment

Setting up a news broadcast requires professional equipment and depending on the level of live streaming you would like to achieve, you will also need extra lighting and noise cancelling materials.

  • Video Cameras
  • Audio Equipment
  • Mixing Equipment
  • Encoders
  • Mobile Live Streaming Equipment
  • Video Streaming Accessories
  • Content Delivery Networks (CDNs)

Test

As a serious news broadcast company, you cannot make any mistakes when broadcasting important events. Your viewers depend on quality content as well as quality visuals. You need to take every step in order to perfect your live broadcasts. The only way that you could do this is through trial and error. Don’t expect to start delivering quality content without actually testing first!

Market Your Channel

While your website is the most important medium for news, you have to make sure that your viewers can find you on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms. Oftentimes, people will get their news from these platforms.

As a reliable and credible news platform, it is your responsibility to deliver factual updates on each and every platform. Even if you are just attaching a link to your actual website, social media platforms should be there for you to be visible and make people aware of your presence.

Go Live

Good News (pun-intended)! You are set to go and you can start broadcasting news content using WpStream. Check out our tutorials to find out how to broadcast your news content or visit our YouTube channel get a better understanding on how to live stream, set up Video on Demand, and Pay-Per-View videos.

Monetization Options

Free Content

Live Streaming for News Channels can be done for free and your viewers will be able to watch your content without any payment-related constraints. The bulk of your traffic may go to these broadcasts.

One way to monetize free broadcasts is through donations. It is great way to monetize your website’s free content. Online donations for news channels and journalists have been steadily growing in recent years. It is considered worthwhile to add a donation link somewhere on your live stream page.

You can direct viewers to the donation link and thank them for their contribution. The Guardian, for instance, does exactly this. Once you go to their website, you will find a pop up asking you to support them by donating $1.

Pay per view live streams are one of the best ways to monetize your news content. Viewers who want to tune in to your broadcast will be required to pay a flat fee before they can see the live video. This monetization option is a great solution for viewers who are willing to pay for your content but don’t want to commit to a monthly fee (yet). Most pay-per-view customers convert from free streaming customers to paying ones.

Pay Per View Live Streams

The subscription monetization method means that viewers are required to pay a weekly/monthly/yearly fee before accessing some or all of your website’s premium content. We see this with the New York Times or other popular news websites.

This business model is more advantageous for the viewer, since they save money by “buying” content in bulk instead of paying for each live stream individually. It’s worthy to note that the subscription monetization model will only work for a small percentage of your overall viewership.

Specifically, the ones that are willing to make a commitment to view your streams regularly for at least 4 to 6 months, on average. Users who discovered your content only recently will be less inclined to opt for a subscription to your website since they did not have enough time to get accustomed or start trusting your content.

Hybrid Model

These are the most common and effective monetization systems for live streams. You are not limited to only one monetization option. Think of a larger, hybrid monetization strategy that includes all of the options outlined above. You can make the most out of these models and minimize their drawbacks.

Privacy & Security

One of the most popular questions we receive is whether your content is safe and secure when live-streaming with WpStream. We do indeed protect your content and unauthorized users are unable to access your content under any circumstance. 

All your news content is private and we will not share it with any institution for any marketing or advertising services. We are GDPR compliant. Furthermore, WpStream will not take down your content for any reason. We are avid believers of free speech and respect news institutions even more for offering factual and educational content about the world that we live in.

Conclusion

All in all, if you are a cable or network news provider hoping to diversify and break into the online market, WpStream may be your live streaming solution. Furthermore, if you’re new to broadcasting news and hoping to start out by broadcasting online- that is a great first step towards reaching your audience whether it is locally, nationally, or internationally.

With multiple monetization options, earn revenue and evolve your news strategies and techniques. WpStream is here to help you easily deliver breaking news and focus more on the real issues, not the technical ones.

Beatrice Tabultoc

Beatrice Tabultoc

Beatrice is the digital marketing go-to at WpStream. She manages all things social media, content creation, and copywriting.

Start your free trial with WpStream today and experience the ability to broadcast live events, set up Pay-Per-View videos, and diversify the way you do your business.
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