YouTube has officially announced the initial rollout of YouTube Live, which will incorporate live video streaming capabilities into the hugely popular video site. Through the new YouTube Live discovery page (www.youtube.com/live), users will be able to browse currently available live offerings, as well as view a schedule of notable upcoming live events.
Clearly, this new feature will offer huge opportunities for independent/DIY musicians. So, how do you get started? Well, depending on the status of your account, you may have to play the waiting game for a while. According to the announcement, YouTube plans to begin with a slow rollout of the feature to select YouTube partner accounts that are in good standing. After that, they’ll continue to make YouTube Live available “incrementally over time.” No specific dates are mentioned.
Translation: This option will not be available to the average YouTube user in the immediate future. So, for the time being, your best bet for live streaming continues to be Ustream or Justin.tv.
This seems like a big step forward for YouTube, and could offer artists exciting new ways to promote their live events along side their current YouTube offerings. What do think? Will you use this new service when it becomes available to you?
You can read the complete YouTube announcement on the YouTube blog HERE.
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