Viacom Labs Unveils Livestream-to-TV Format

NEW YORK: Viacom Labs has pioneered a new TV format that pulls in livestreams from fans as a curated real-time feed that runs on-air during a regularly scheduled show.

MTV Australia will be the first to produce and launch an original series based on the test. The as-yet-untitled show will air on Australia’s MTV Music and is set to premiere in 2017.

The experiment in June 2016 saw production teams and music fans invited to livestream themselves dancing to music videos that aired on MTV Music Australia during the test. The livestreams, which can be pulled from most livestreaming platforms once fans include the designated hashtag, were selected in real time by a show producer in a control room who viewed them on many screens simultaneously. Viewers saw the fan dancing on the screen in a box superimposed on the show screen.

“Viacom Labs’ mission is to constantly evolve how fans connect to the content they love and give them opportunities to make it their own,” said Susan Claxton, co-head of Viacom Labs. “Labs’ global livestream-to-TV experiment with our amazing colleagues at MTV Australia demonstrates what’s possible when we work together to leverage the dynamics of the social web and the massive scale and context of linear television.”

“By partnering with Viacom Labs, we are developing a truly innovative and immersive fan experience never seen on television,” added Simon Bates, the VP and head of MTV Asia Pacific. “Marrying the technology of livestreaming with a linear broadcast catapults fan engagement into the 21st century and we’re excited to be the first market to bring the concept to life.”