C-SPAN turns to Facebook Live to broadcast Democrats' sit-in for gun control
Democrats live streaming sit-in on House floor for gun control via social media
If you need further proof that live social media streaming services like Facebook Live or Periscope can impact real-world events, then you might want to tune into C-SPAN.
That’s because the network is currently using Facebook Live to broadcast a sit-in being held by Democrats in the US House of Representatives to demonstrate for gun-control legislation.
C-SPAN has to rely on Facebook Live rather than its official House camera feed because the House is in recess right now. And since the House controls the cameras, C-SPAN can’t turn them on.
As the protest got underway, C-SPAN was quick to point out that it didn’t have the power to control the cameras in the House. A live Periscope feed quickly popped up hosted by California Democrat Scott Peters and then switched over to a Facebook Live feed from Texas Democrat Beto O’Rourke.
The sit-in began when Georgia Democrat John Lewis called on his fellow Democrats to hunker down on the floor of the House. Republicans quickly called a recess, which shut off the C-SPAN feed. The protest is being held as a means to force a vote on gun control legislation following the failure of four such measures last week.
Email Daniel at dhowley@yahoo-inc.com; follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.
