Facebook launches its Live Audio Room & Podcast discovery & playback in app.
First on audio rooms, Facebook’s response to the Clubhouse-lead audio social trend. Subsequent to declaring the coming in April, then, testing it with users in Taiwan in the course of the last month, Facebook is presently bringing its live audio rooms feature to selected users and Facebook Groups in the US.
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As mentioned in the above image, the audio rooms launched by people or groups will show over the stories panel. Users can signup for notifications for upcoming audio rooms & users will also tap in audio rooms as shown in second image above.
Source Facebook
The interface of audio room is similar to Clubhouse & Twitter Spaces, profile image of host at top then listeners.
Source: Facebook
There is a front row in listeners display which is reserved for paying subscribers.
According To Facebook
“Listeners can also offer support and show appreciation to the public figure host of the Live Audio Room by sending Stars, which bumps those listeners up to the “front row.” The “front row” is a special section that highlights people who sent Stars, so hosts can recognize supporters (and maybe even give them a shout out during the conversation!).”
Hosts will now invite speakers in advance & choose listeners at the time of stream to join. For Audio Rooms within Facebook Group, Admin have the power to control whether a moderator, an editor or a group member can create a live audio room or not.
As Per Facebook
“In public Groups, both members and visitors can listen to the Live Audio Room, but in private Groups, only members can listen.”
There is a limit of 50 speakers in Room and no limit of listeners. The hosts of Room can support a non profit or fundraiser to help during their conversation, with listeners & speakers are able to donate in-stream.
Source: Facebook
The selected public figures & groups be able to launch audio rooms in initial rollout.
Facebook Added:
- Grammy-nominated electronic music artist TOKiMONSTA will discuss female excellence and overcoming obstacles
- American football quarterback Russell Wilson will talk about how to train your mind like an elite athlete
- Organizer, producer, independent journalist and scholar-activist, Rosa Clemente will host a discussion around affirming Blackness in the Latinx community
- Hear what it’s like to live the life of a professional esports player in a Live Audio Room hosted by streamer, entertainer, and internet personality Omareloff
- Social entrepreneur Amanda Nguyen will speak with fellow changemakers about pursuing justice and making progress in an extraordinarily polarized time
Facebook Further says:
“In the coming weeks, we’ll expand the ability for more public figures and Groups to host a Live Audio Room and introduce new features for both experiences in the coming months.”
Along with this, Facebook also launched the new podcast option which lets users to listen podcast without leaving the app.
Facebook is testing this option from last month & now it officially rolls out with the selected public figures & groups.
As Per Facebook:
To start, the initial slate of podcasts will include Joe Budden of The Joe Budden Podcast; “Jess Hilarious” of Carefully Reckless from The Black Effect Podcast Network and iHeartRadio; Keltie Knight, Becca Tobin, and Jac Vanek of the LadyGang; and Nicaila Matthews Okome of Side Hustle Pro. We’ll continue to add more podcasts in the coming weeks.”
The option will work with podcast discovery within the app alongside “a miniplayer or full-screen player experience” for playback in-stream.
Facebook says:
Later this summer, we’ll roll out additional features, like captions and the ability to create and share short clips of a podcast. Over time, we’ll build more unique social experiences around podcasts that make use of Facebook’s best interactive and personalized features.”
This could lead to new road to find the ways to explore with audio content in the app.
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