Streaming Meetings on Facebook Live

About the Program

Category: Civic Education and Public Information (Best in Category)

Year: 2018

The Charlotte County Public Information Office began streaming local government meetings via Facebook Live on April 10, 2017. As of March 2, 2018, the 45 meetings had been viewed 82,291 times, generated 26,185 reactions, comments and shares and reached 242,439 Facebook users. Charlotte County livestreams regularly scheduled meetings of the county commission and six other county and regional boards. Between April 10, 2017, when the county streamed its first meeting on Facebook Live, and Sept. 4, 2017, Facebook page likes rose 33 percent, from 3,087 to 4,103. As Hurricane Irma approached Charlotte County in early September, public interest in the government’s planning and preparedness rose. The county’s Facebook page saw a steep rise in page likes and Facebook Live meeting viewership. Four of the top 10 most-watched videos on the county’s Facebook page were livestreamed county commission meetings between Sept. 5-12, 2017, where Hurricane Irma was discussed. Those four meetings were viewed by a total of 35,400 users. By March 2, 2018, total Facebook page likes more than doubled from the number of likes before Facebook Live streaming began. Facebook Live streaming of local government meetings expanded the reach and awareness of the county’s local government access television station, CCTV, and the growth of its Facebook page enabled the county to provide county information and other content to a larger group of users.