Now LIVE: Marijuana, Bears, the Living Earth
The following appears in our weekly live video newsletter, which (usually) publishers on Mondays. Want to subscribe? Click here.Start on a High Note and Explore the WorldHigh Times -- the pioneer brand is riding high on the movement it created. To celebrate its 500th issue, the publisher is broadcasting live for 500 minutes and burning it up across the socials. Check it out here.Nat Geo went live around the globe on #EarthLive last night. And if you had any doubts about the investment Nat Geo made, it was the most promoted show on TV last week. The only rub was trying to cram all those amazing animals into one 3 hour tentpole event.Google Earth got its paws on the #bearcam live-stream made famous by Explore.org. Google Earth’s Voyager tab now supports live streams, so you can be transported to new experiences -- like watching bears hunt jumping salmon at Katmai National Park.As explore.org has shown with 100 + live cams around the world 24/7-- there is an audience for people that want to use technology to see the world- and chillax. Don’t sleep on this people.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP8xT2LAikMIt’s not a battle, it’s a warVideo killed the… video star? A space that was once dominated by YouTube is now becoming a growing turf war with Facebook, which has greatly increased its own video footprint over the last two years. The New York Times digs into why some creators are flocking to Facebook Live instead, and getting PAID as a result. New Facebook ad and revenue sharing tools are geared toward these would-be YouTube stars. Plus the social reach is already way ahead of the game. Score one for FB?Acura’s also using video to help you break from your everyday. The car brand’s augmented reality livestream took viewers on a stunning race through virtual courses in the new TLX A-Spec sedan. Viewers that tuned into Facebook, YouTube and Twitter on Monday night went for quite the ride.
ProgrammingHulu’s scored another win in the battle for cord-cutters’ attention. The live TV service will offer HBO and Cinemax as an add-on for users, removing yet another reason why you may avoid making the switch.This year’s X Games will bring you closer than ever, as ESPN will broadcast the event live in VR. With the Games’ death-defying stunts and jumps, it should be an amazing experience for fans. Though maybe eat light beforehand.Nearly half of respondents to a recent survey live-stream content at least once a week. That still leaves room to grow, but shows that conditioning the market is no longer required. Give people compelling live videos, and they’re willing to watch.Drivers on the U.K.’s highways will soon be seeing stadium-sized screens along the roadside. But they won’t be broadcasting games. Instead, drivers will see live video of upcoming traffic situations, which could help avoid extensive pile-ups.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYIrHnfobyYThis week's top headlinesWhy Some Online Video Stars Opt for Facebook Over YouTubeThe New York Times, Daisuke WakabayashiHulu Offers HBO, Cinemax as Subscription Add-OnsVariety, Andrew WallensteinThe Internet’s Live Video Duopoly: Facebook vs. YouTubeAxios, Sara FischerGoogle Earth is Broadcasting Live Footage of Brown Bears Hunting SalmonDigital Trends, Brad JonesESPN to Livestream X Games in Virtual RealityFierceCable, Ben MunsonAcura is Livestreaming an Augmented Reality Race on FacebookEngadget, Saqib ShahCheddar Buys the Viral Game Where a Guy Lets Twitch Buy and Sell Stocks for HimBusiness Insider, Joe CiolliFor Some, Live Streaming Video is Already a ConstanteMarketer, Rimma KatsFor Brands, Twitter is a Marathon, Not a SprintAdweek, Justin MarshallTwitter Has Inked a Slew of Sports and Entertainment Live Streaming DealsBusiness Insider, Kevin TranPlayerUnknowns’ Battlegrounds’ Official Streams Ditch Twitch for Facebook LiveVentureBeat, Jeff GrubbLive Video of Traffic Jams Helps Drivers Steer ClearThe Times, Graeme PatonGordon Ramsay is Down to Eat Pineapple Pizza on Facebook Live, Under One ConditionUproxx, Dan MacRae
