YouTube got faster last week, when a Stanford computer science student coded YouTube Instant (garnering an instant job offer from YouTube’s CEO via Twitter). But YouTube doesn’t always move quickly. One thing the company has been taking its sweet time on is diving into the world of live streaming.
There were rumors that YouTube was interested in live video as early as January of 2008. And YouTube did experiment by streaming a few live events in the following months and years—a concert in November of 2008, a U2 show in 2009, and the Indian Premier League’s cricket tournament in 2010 (that last one drew about 50 million views). Even so, its live streaming options were limited compared to sites like Ustream, Livestream, and Justin.tv, sites that have made live streaming the core of their experience.
Today, finally, YouTube is dipping another foot in the water (and looks like it might jump all the way in soon). At 8:00 a.m. pacific, YouTube is offering a two-day test of a new live streaming platform. Not just anyone can hook up a webcam today and stream live, though--the dictum “broadcast yourself” only will apply to four of YouTube’s partners: Howcast, New Next Networks, Rocketboom, and Young Hollywood.
