Dive Brief:
- In a move that matches Facebook Live's streaming capabilities, Twitter's Periscope is testing pre-recorded video and graphics in live video streams.
- Mashable first noticed pre-recorded video in a post from a popular Periscope broadcaster.
- “We’re always testing new functionality that gives our broadcasters the ability to create great content," a Periscope spokesperson told Marketing Land when the publication reached out for comment.
Dive Insight:
The line between live streaming video and linear TV continues to blur as social media platforms add more TV-like capabilities and TV broadcasters increasingly seek out social media audiences.
Twitter's latest move comes as it competes with Facebook to bring live streaming to its platform. Like Twitter, Facebook has been betting big on live video and is trying to get publishers, marketers, and influencers onboard.
In March, Facebook added studio-quality video capabilities to Facebook Live, such as the ability to stream via multiple cameras, a move that Facebook hoped would encourage more media companies to add the format to their live broadcasting options. Facebook also believes marketers can repurpose video content initially intended for linear TV to reach Facebook’s audience.
Meanwhile, Twitter has been actively signing live streaming video deals with major professional sports leagues, including a partnership to stream 10 NFL games this fall. Twitter hopes the moves can help bring new users and advertisers to its platform.
But Facebook and Twitter are not alone in the social video race: Last month, NBCUniversal announced a deal that would bring mini-versions of its linear TV shows to Snapchat.
