Platform rises to become major player in exclusive live video
Twitter’s evolution into a platform for exclusive live video content is taking another notable step this week with the news that the social network is partnering with Disney to broadcast “never-before-seen” content from the upcoming Star Wars flick, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Opening in U.S. theaters on December 16, Rogue One is a product of Lucasfilm and is the first standalone Star Wars movie that doesn’t constitute part of the ongoing anthology. While official trailers have already been introduced ahead of the film’s debut next month, on December 2, Twitter is serving as the official broadcast platform for a special event hosted by Time’s People magazine. The event will include not only new footage but also a Q&A with cast members and the director.
What it means:
This represents the latest in a line of livestreaming initiatives from Twitter, as it looks to encourage new sign-ups. Back in April, news emerged that Twitter was effectively becoming a global TV network after it won the online rights to stream Thursday night NFL games in full.
With big-name brands like Disney and Star Wars on board, look for Twitter to continue to push deeper into the livestreaming space and draw in big name advertisers as their audience grows.
