KATU News Live Online

Submitted by pdxtra on Mon, 06/18/2007 - 6:10pm.

KATU is streaming its newscasts live online. During the news, a red banner appears on the KATU homepage directing viewers here (direct video link here).

It's a bold move. Newscasts are a station's profit center, and ads don't even appear on the stream (which cuts to live shots of town, presumably so as not to run afowl of copyright restrictions on music used in advertising). And live streams can be costly to maintain, especially when offering them at the relatively high rate of 755 Kbps from one's own servers, as KATU is doing. If 1000 people watch for half an hour, that's 160GB of bandwidth used.

Is the strategy to build loyalty with the KATU brand, regardless of platform? Is it simply to deliver more visitors to the website?

Regardless, KATU.com has clearly one-upped KGW.com, which was the first to live-stream newscasts during major breaking news years ago.

Like this post? Add it to del.icio.us!
pdxtra's blog | quote
( topics: )
Yes, and the video is very
Submitted by Myhousemf on Mon, 06/18/2007 - 7:21pm.

Yes, and the video is very fast to load which is nice.

reply | quote
Math (and Spelling!)
Submitted by pdxtra on Mon, 06/18/2007 - 8:29pm.

If anyone wants to check my math:

755 Kbps (kilobits per second)

* 60 (seconds in a minute) = 45,300 Kb

* 30 (minutes in a session) = 1,359,000 Kb

* 1000 (users) = 1,359,000,000 Kb

/ 8 (kilobits in a kilobyte) = 169,875,000 KB

/ 1024 (kilobytes in a megabyte) = 165893 MB

/ 1024 (megabytes in a gigabyte) = 162 GB

Also, I know it's "afoul." But if I edit my post I'm pretty sure it will get kicked off the main page.

reply | quote
as I understand it...
Submitted by Anonymous Source (not verified) on Mon, 06/18/2007 - 9:56pm.

A much simpler way of saying it would be one and one-third slamoflitchs with maybe just a touch of rhylophites for garnish.

Now, that I can understand.

reply | quote
1.33sf + 0.1rp = 162GB
Submitted by pdxtra on Mon, 06/18/2007 - 10:34pm.

Ok, reading it back to myself, my math indeed was pretty much gibberish. I've edited my comment to break down each step of the math if that makes it any better.

reply | quote
missing the boat
Submitted by Anonymous Source (not verified) on Mon, 06/18/2007 - 11:54pm.

Putting your live newscasts online is easy and cheap, but it's not a driver for viewership. Everyone, repeat after me:

THE WEB IS NOT TV.

Video on the web is not TV, either. Unique content drives web users, not recycled newscasts. In that regard, KATU is only slightly better than KOIN, and they fall woefully behind KGW, KPTV, and the Oregonian.

reply | quote
That's Not how I use the web...
Submitted by Anonymous Source (not verified) on Tue, 06/19/2007 - 2:41am.

I can understand watching a package or an unedited interview but thrity minutes of content!? Too much for me. I use the web to save time not waste it at KATU.com.

reply | quote
KGW Does it too...
Submitted by Anonymous Source (not verified) on Tue, 06/19/2007 - 7:53am.

At five o'clock you can watch the newscast on their webpage. The arguement that this is new and exciting is moot... Just an opinion.

reply | quote
KATU
Submitted by Anonymous Source (not verified) on Tue, 06/19/2007 - 7:55am.

KATU has been streaming their newscasts (as well as AM Northwest) for several months now...old news!

reply | quote
Or....
Submitted by Anonymous Source (not verified) on Tue, 06/19/2007 - 8:49am.

presumably so as not to run afowl of copyright restrictions on music used in advertising

Or ... it's because the sales people only sold the spots for exposure on TV. They're start charging more for web exposure!!! Anything to make a buck.

I don't mind the newscast on the web. I doubt I'll watch it, but I don't mind knowing it's there. I wonder what their "target audience" is? Out of towners? Shift workers? hhhmmmmm.

reply | quote
OLD NEWS
Submitted by Anonymous Source (not verified) on Tue, 06/19/2007 - 1:00pm.

Katu has been doing it since at least January.

reply | quote
Ouch
Submitted by Anonymous Source (not verified) on Tue, 06/19/2007 - 3:28pm.

"Run 'afowl'"??????

Puh-LEEEZ!

And you work in the media???

reply | quote
SEE COMMENT LABELED 'SPELLING'
Submitted by pdxtra on Tue, 06/19/2007 - 10:27pm.

It's right here. And no, I don't work in the media. I'll reserve comment on your use of punctuation.

reply | quote
Away from Portland
Submitted by Anonymous Source (not verified) on Tue, 06/19/2007 - 8:35pm.

I like it because when I'm on the road I can still tune in and watch the local newscast.

reply | quote
Absolutely !!!Last time I
Submitted by Anonymous Source (not verified) on Wed, 06/20/2007 - 1:31pm.

Absolutely !!!

Last time I checked it was 2007 or something. Not everyone is lounging at home with the dog curled up at your feet, wifey in cooking dinner, and you sitting in the Laz-E-Boy wearing your smoking jacket with pipe in hand waiting for Jeff/Julie/Tracey/Hillz/et.al to recap the days local events.

Breaking News: some of us aren't ever in the same time zone...

SCJ

reply | quote
Some questions
Submitted by PDXtoPHX on Thu, 11/01/2007 - 12:45pm.

Anonymous Source wrote:
I like it because when I'm on the road I can still tune in and watch the local newscast.

I also watch the local PDX news from another state to stay caught up. I was wondering if any knew why KGW isnt doing there noon news cast online? Also, why KGW traffic steaming isnt working most of the time?

reply | quote
Time Zones
Submitted by Anonymous Source (not verified) on Wed, 06/20/2007 - 4:38pm.

I hear you -- I was in Hong Kong last week and browsed KATU.com for updates on the Beavers in the college World Series.
Go beavs!

reply | quote
Live news on the web
Submitted by Anonymous Source (not verified) on Thu, 06/21/2007 - 12:25am.

Lots of people view the streaming video at work, where otherwise they wouldn't want to have a TV at their desk, or maybe wouldn't be allowed to.

As was mentioned previously, kgw.com pioneered this in the Portland Market and also experimented with a live afternoon web-only traffic show, and, of course, breaking news.

reply | quote
re: Live news on the web
Submitted by Anonymous Source (not verified) on Thu, 06/21/2007 - 2:00pm.

The previous message clearly posted by KGW.com's web master.
Its practically an ad for their web page.

reply | quote
Re: re: Live news on the web
Submitted by rfaaberg on Fri, 06/22/2007 - 2:05am.

Anonymous Source wrote:
The previous message clearly posted by KGW.com's web master.
Its practically an ad for their web page.

Yeah, but it's true. About umm 12 plus years ago they came online - I wrote to suggest live traffic cams. Don't know if it's the same web crew now.

But anyway, they were first

Viewer Rick

reply | quote

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • You may quote other posts using [quote] tags.
  • Voting controls can be added to this post.
  • Web and e-mail addresses are automatically converted into links.
More information about formatting options