An Introduction to Live Streaming

For a long time, live streaming was something reserved only for big media companies and TV channels. However, as the Internet and online technology evolved, this became technology available to the mainstream.

Out of the different platforms and websites that hosted live streaming opportunities, one of the more important was a website called justin.tv (launched 2007). As it allowed anyone to broadcast video online in all different genres, it quickly became popular.

A niche that grew fast was people streaming video games and in 2011, justin.tv launched a new site called twitch.tv, focusing on gaming streams. In 2014 justin.tv was shut down, and the company rebranded as Twitch Interactive. Shortly after, it was bought by Amazon for $970 million.

Twitch is today the fourth largest source of peak Internet traffic in the United States. The majority of streamers and viewers are still focused on gaming. However, the site is also allowing IRL streams, cooking streams, art streams, music streams, and a wide range of other creative streams.

Even if twitch has been the leader, other large social media platforms have also introduced opportunities for its users to live stream content. Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, and many more offer live streaming capabilities today.

In the simplest form, it’s possible to stream directly from your mobile phone, making it very convenient for such as streaming outdoors.