Facebook, not Twitter, will live stream this year’s Golden Globes’ red carpet pre-show
Facebook has scored the exclusive rights to live stream this year’s Golden Globes’ red carpet pre-show – a deal that last year went to Twitter. On Tuesday, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) and dick clark productions announced the two-hour event would be exclusively available on the Golden Globes Facebook page from 6 to 8 p.m. ET (3 to 5 p.m. PT) on Sunday, January 7, 2018.
This is not the main awards show, mind you, but rather the official red carpet where celebrities are photographed and asked softball questions about their wardrobes, plus-ones, and who they’re hoping will win. When Twitter live streamed the event, the company collaborated with the Hollywood Foreign Press to source questions from fans’ tweets.
This time around, the HFPA will leverage Facebook’s technologies and platforms to enhance the experience for viewers, including sourcing fans’ questions from Facebook.
The Golden Globes Facebook Page will also post exclusive live footage, including 360-degree videos captured at the event along with other backstage content. In addition, the @goldenglobes Instagram account will offer similar exclusive footage shared in real-time, and the main @Instagram Story will be hosted by one of the red carpet hosts, Laura Marano.
The other event hosts include AJ Gibson, Jeannie Mai, and Scott Mantz.
The ability to post to both Facebook and Instagram likely sweetened the deal for the HFPA. For example, the main Instagram account today has 230 million followers – or 230 million potential viewers for the red carpet Instagram story. Twitter, meanwhile, has 330 million monthly actives in total. The Golden Globe Awards Facebook Page is followed by 2.3 million users, though it may acquire more viewers for the red carpet event, as anyone can visit the page to watch – not just those who explicitly “liked” it.
Plus, as Variety notes, the Golden Globes’ other media partners will post to Facebook and use Instagram Live for sharing photos and videos from the event, as well, providing even more exposure.
“Facebook has had a long collaborative relationship with the entertainment community, and we’re thrilled to be able to extend that through our work with the Golden Globes,” Sibyl Goldman, head of Facebook’s Entertainment Partnerships in a statement. “We always aim to create unique experiences which bring communities together, and partaking in the kickoff of award season in conjunction with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, is a demonstration of our commitment to bring fans together through entertainment they enjoy.”
The awards show itself will be less accessible for streaming. The show is live on NBC on January 7th, and available through nbc.com/live in select markets, if you can authenticate with your pay TV credentials. Some paid streaming TV services, like Sling TV, Hulu Live TV, YouTube TV and others offer NBC in select markets as well.