NPR's Guide to Facebook Live - How Journalists can use Facebook Live.
This post was written by NPR’s Lori Todd, Claire O’Neill, Mito Habe-Evans, Sara Goo, Gerry Holmes, Rob Byers and Eric Athas.
By now you’ve likely heard about Facebook Live – those new in-the-moment videos popping up in your Newsfeed. For NPR, this is a new opportunity to connect with social audiences, share our story-telling and have conversations with them.
This document is a way for you to familiarize yourself with Facebook Live, get to know the NPR workflow and learn best practices.
What is Facebook Live?
Facebook Live is a feature that allows people to broadcast live videos on Facebook, at varying degrees of production quality – from iPhone selfies to HD camera and high-quality audio. It’s available to all Facebook users with the iOS or Android Facebook app. Videos can be broadcast from personal profiles and branded pages (such as the NPR Facebook page or the NPR Politics page). The videos are recorded, so users can view them after the live broadcast, on a Facebook page’s video section.
What are NPR’s goals for Facebook Live?
NPR will use Facebook Live to grow our audience across our many branded Facebook pages and to develop audiences for many of our journalists on their own Facebook pages and profiles. Facebook Live allows us to engage with the audience directly in new ways.
Live, interactive video is an opportunity to connect our audience more deeply with our journalists, our approach to journalism and the stories we want to tell. We will learn from our audience and hear from them. In this way, we think the live experience fits with our public media mission.
Through Facebook Live, we will expand our storytelling skills in new ways while learning how best to produce social video across NPR’s many different shows, desks and verticals. These learnings will better position NPR to adapt to the quick-moving world of social video, regardless of the platform. Working together, we’ll develop new skills across NPR’s staff.
What are the steps to making a Facebook Live video?
At a basic level, it’s a pretty easy process. You’ll need a mobile device with the Facebook app. You can test it out using your personal Facebook page.
- Open the Facebook app and Tap (Status) at the top of your Timeline, News Feed or Page.
- Tap the Facebook Live button
- Give it a catchy title and hit “Go Live.” You can film in selfie mode or direct the camera outward by hitting the arrows at the top right of the screen. The title should be short, sweet and very descriptive of what you’re doing.
- Read and reply to comments as you’re filming.
- When you’re done, the video will be archived to the page you posted to; you can also save a copy of the video to your phone.
What are some ways NPR journalists can use Facebook Live?
Facebook Live is still new, so there’s a lot to learn about the kinds of videos journalists should broadcast. The best ideas will emerge as more people try it.
But to get you thinking, here are some scenarios:
From-the-field dispatches: A reporter in the field provides an update.
- Tip: Ideally someone else holds the camera for the reporter and fields questions and comments from the viewers. If reporters are alone, it’s helpful to use a selfie stick to avoid camera shake (and arm fatigue). There’s also a basic dongle for XLR to iPhone, which we highly recommend using as a basic audio upgrade. (See below for more info about equipment and getting started.)
- See it in action: Sarah McCammon at a Trump rally (watch the video)
- See it in action: Rachel Martin white water rafting (watch the video)
2way in the field: A journalist interviews another journalist from the field.
- Tip: Test your connection before going live to be sure your broadcast does not cut out.
- See it in action: Eyder Peralta interviews Nina Totenberg outside the SCOTUS
2way from NPR: A journalist interviews another journalist or guest at NPR.
- See it in action: Sam Sanders at NPR during primary night
Breaking/developing news: Reporter talks to people at a news event.
- See it in action: Eyder Peralta interviews protesters on the steps of the SCOTUS (watch the video)
A studio broadcast: A host broadcasts from inside a studio.
- Tip: Find someone else to field comments from viewers so that you can focus on the interview.
- See it in action: Scott Simon interviews Ron Fournier (watch the video)
Live series and segments: A journalist (or group) regularly broadcasts on the same topic – potentially from one of our soon-to-be designated HD camera stations.
- Tip: We want to avoid talking heads and old-fashioned broadcasts. Our audience on Facebook needs to feel involved in the production, and we should interact them.
- See it in action: The Two-Way’s midday “Cereal” news update (watch the video)
I have an idea! How can I make it happen?
If you have an idea you’d like to try for any NPR branded page, go here to find workflow instructions (you must be logged into your NPR Google account to view it).
Can I test it out on my own?
Facebook Live is available on your personal profile, too. That’s a great way to learn the basics and understand the mechanics. And you don’t need to contact NPR’s Facebook Live team if you’re going to broadcast from your personal profile broadcast (it’s your profile!), though if you let the the team know, we can provide feedback.
What are tips for making good Facebook Live videos?
Flying solo: You can shoot a Facebook Live video by yourself. Though, when at all possible, it’s preferable to have someone else holding the camera for you – and ideally another person fielding questions and providing context and links in the comments. If you’re on your own, we highly recommend using a selfie stick for better stabilization. You should also get a dongle XLR → iPhone adapter for your mic.
Comments! Respond to comments. The most essential feature of Facebook Live is the ability for viewers to leave comments in real-time. You can read and curate comments during a broadcast – and really ought to.
Surprise, Suspense, Serendipity: The other key feature of a live broadcast is that anything can happen. This is why people will watch, so use it to your advantage, or try to imagine ways to create that element of surprise.
Connectivity: Connectivity is key. Please test your connection before going live to be sure your broadcast does not cut out. (We are working on developing a mobile kit that will improve connectivity issues in the field.)
Mobile vs. HD Cams: Mobile phones are best for run-and-gun/in-the-field moments. At NPR HQ (and soon at the NYC bureau and NPR West), we are developing a workflow for the use of HD cameras. So while it’s good to be thinking about live moments in the field, we should also be thinking about high quality, recurring series and segments that have a shelf life and could eventually be redistributed elsewhere.
This is not TV. We want to avoid talking heads and old-fashioned broadcasts. The Facebook audience needs to feel involved in the production, and we should interact with them.
Best practices for radio still apply. While you’re thinking through the production of a video, don’t forget about audio. The listening experience of a Facebook Live video should match NPR’s standards for audio storytelling. Among the practices to keep in mind:
- Hold the mic close to the subject
- Choose the right mic for the environment you’re in
- Select the shot based on how it looks AND how it sounds
- Use a pop filter