Your news to the world, streamed in real-time.
The history of journalism dates back several centuries when, in ancient civilizations, stone tablets or papyrus plants (from which the word ‘paper’ originated) were used for the purpose of documentation and official announcements. Later, a German publisher, Johann Carolus, launched the first newspaper in the world, Relation aller Fürnemmen und gedenckwürdigen Historien (Account of all distinguished and commemorable stories), in 1605 from Strasbourg. This newspaper was published weekly whereas the credit for the world’s first daily newspaper goes to Einkommende Zeitungen, another German newspaper started in 1650.
With the advent of technology and the subsequent arrival of radio and TV, the world witnessed the first-ever TV news channel launched by the BBC in 1936. Before that, Philo Farnsworth, an American inventor, had already stunned everyone with his first television broadcast in 1927. The era of 24-hour news channels began with CNN in 1980 and the rest is history. Journalists were held in high regard for their pioneering works in either print or on the radio, but when people started seeing them live on TV, the visual impact added multiple layers of charisma to the people involved in this profession. Be it a newsroom, political corridor, or even the battlefield, journalists used to explain complex happenings in an understandable way fostering a sense of emotional connection and trust.
Nowadays, most of the money-controlled TRP-hungry TV news channels have transformed themselves into a wrestling ring where the hosts unnecessarily keep shouting “Big news coming in!” as if they’ll chokeslam the viewers if they don't pay attention to the roaring voices echoing from the newsroom. Amid the overly dramatic background music, sensational graphics, and clickbait headlines and banners, a viewer is completely confused whether is it really news or some kind of fireworks display in full swing.
Gone are the days when hosts and guests used to discuss any relevant topic politely in order to help viewers stay informed with deep and meaningful conversations. The news debates these days have undermined the credibility and quality of journalism where everyone tries to outdo each other with zealous disagreement and linguistic throwdowns. Doesn’t it resemble a maddening party of drunken hooligans who keep fighting for the last piece of pizza? Obviously, the entire drama is artificial where this animated verbal wrestling is enforced to attract the attention of viewers. The more engagement a channel gets by pumping up the cacophony, the more merrier the advertisers.
Sharp and perceptive viewers understand the significance of politeness, decency, and humility in upholding remarkable professionalism in the field of journalism. With these attributes vanishing rapidly in recent years, viewers are leaning toward alternative news sources by ditching the traditional TV news channels that once used to be their primary reservoir of information. Viewers want impartial reporting with a broad spectrum of outlooks however they’re deprived of their healthy dose of news coverage with abhorrent mudslinging like they do in a distasteful TV reality show. On the other hand, with alternative sources, they can control and personalize whatever they’re watching saving their precious time and without getting bombarded with advertisements. They can get a variety of opinions and perspectives in no time with the availability of fact-checking at their fingertips.
A good number of journalists have left conventional TV news channels to start live streaming their news content on various platforms like YouTube, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), etc. Some were tired of dancing to the tunes of their bosses for whom journalism was all about making money rather than preserving its core principles whereas some knew the immense opportunities for independent voices that were made possible only through live streaming. In traditional newsrooms, they didn’t have full control over expressing their own narrative because advertisers have a strong influence over the content that goes on air. However, as independent journalists, they get complete freedom in news production while embracing the flexibility of live streaming at the same time. They’ve several benefits in doing so. Some of them include:
As soon as a journalist starts live streaming, audiences feel like connecting to a real friend rather than watching a news anchor who reads a meticulously edited script. This emotional connection immediately provides a ticket to audiences’ hearts but with it, journalists need to strategize their journey in this digital age to excel in their field.
Establish yourself as someone who should be instantly recognized for being a pundit of a specific category - be it sports, politics, science and technology, health, etc. Audiences out there have a keen interest in a specific topic and when they come across your channel by any chance, they simply can’t stop themselves from staying engaged as your expertise pulls them toward you like a magnet.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re sitting in your room or somewhere else, you still have the power to make your live stream look beautiful by adding all the glitz and glamour of a traditional newsroom. Live streaming software enables you to add interactive backgrounds, colors, logos, static and moving banners, and audio-video files to make your environment visually appealing without hurting your pocket.
Take an example, audiences who are interested in political discourses aren’t only limited to a single platform. You can spot their presence on diverse social media channels. If you multistream to all those channels simultaneously, your news content becomes more discoverable with a huge surge in the number of audiences (of which many can convert into loyal followers).
People may be watching many journalists who have already established their careers in live streaming. If you want to stand out in the crowd, come out with a distinct viewpoint that enriches your news coverage. With unique perspectives, you dive deeper into the subject to uncover hidden truths and facts. It helps audiences realize you’re committed to the truth with impactful reporting.
Adding guests and news experts to your stream enhances the educational value where audiences can comprehend complex issues with diverse perspectives. The real-time updates and analysis of a trending topic by fresh voices increase the depth of the conversation which eventually boosts viewer engagement. Audiences in your niche will eagerly wait for your next coverage to watch a recognized expert expecting to get informed on a relevant topic.
If journalism is your passion and you want to transform it into a prudent career option, you need to explore revenue-generating options. It’s not only about building a community or improving your news coverage quality as time progresses but also about boosting your creative vision. Sponsorships, ad revenue, donations, coaching, and merchandise sales are some of the ways that can help sustain your passion.
A significant input from any user can help you explore alternative viewpoints and generate new ideas. It builds a trust factor by demonstrating your willingness to appreciate constructive feedback and commitment to iterative progress in the news coverage quality. If you value what they say, they’ll certainly adhere to what you say because you’ve genuinely earned their loyalty.
Stop being shy in asking your viewers to like, subscribe, follow, or share the incredible news content you create for them. You can’t witness a significant impact immediately when your viewers start advocating for your content, but slowly it turns into an unstoppable hurricane of attention once it becomes contagious. Remember, a silent flap in a butterfly’s wings somewhere can result in an invisible storm in a different corner of the world.