-->
Save your FREE seat for Streaming Media Connect this August. Register Now!

YouTube Brings Automatic Captions, Location Tags to Live Streams

Article Featured Image

YouTube is making its live videos more enticing with a few improvements announced yesterday. First, live videos can now take advantage of automatic caption creation in English, something that's been available to on-demand videos since 2009. While YouTube isn't making any big claims about the level of accuracy streamers can expect, it says its live automatic speech recognition (LASR) technology will produce error rates "approaching industry standards." While captions likely won't be perfect, they'll help the hearing impaired enjoy live events. Look for this feature to debut in the coming weeks.

People creating a live stream or on-demand video can now add a location tag to their creations. Viewers can then click the tag to find other videos made in the same place. They can also filter video search results to show only videos created in a certain location.

The biggest new live feature is for people watching the stream after it's finished. Part of the fun of watching a live stream is watching the comments scroll by, as viewers react to the host in real-time. Now, people watching a live stream after it concludes will see a replay of the chat scrolling on the right side of the video.

YouTube is right to make improvements: A recent report from Openwave Mobility shows Facebook live videos are more popular with mobile viewers in some regions. YouTube needs all the help it can get to stand out.

"With live streams, you’ve found more intimate and spontaneous ways to share your thoughts, lives, and creativity," wrote Kurt Wilms, YouTube live video product lead, in a blog post. "Take these features for a spin and show us your world!"

Streaming Covers
Free
for qualified subscribers
Subscribe Now Current Issue Past Issues
Related Articles

5 Low-Cost Ways to Provide Closed Captions for VOD Streams

Attaching captions to on-demand videos can be simple and low-cost, but doing the same for live video is a little more involved. Here are the options.

80% of Video Caption Users Aren't Hearing Impaired, Finds Verizon

As viewers increasingly stream videos to mobile devices in public places, captions take on a greater importance.

YouTube Debuts Music and Ad-Free Video Subs, Folds YouTube Red

One service becomes two, as subscribers have the choice of a $9.99 per month music plan, or paying $2 more to add ad-free video playback and YouTube originals.

Tutorial: How to Add Interactivity to Your YouTube Videos

It's important for YouTube publishers to create a great user experience for our viewers, and interactivity can help. Here's a walk-through of how to use YouTube's interactive features.

YouTube Lets Desktop Streamers Go Live Without an Encoder

While YouTube made encoder setup easy, it was still a hurdle for some. Now, Chrome users can stream live with no setup required.

Facebook Is Overtaking YouTube for Live Mobile Video Streaming

A report from Openwave Mobility shows that Facebook live video is already more popular in some regions, and buffering is still a major problem.

YouTube TV Adds Turner Channels, Raises Price to $40/Month

At what point does a skinny bundle stop being skinny? YouTube TV now offers over 50 channels, and the price will rise next month.

YouTube Lists Monetization Suspension Steps for Problem Creators

Following yet another creator crisis, YouTube is getting tough with problem channels while promising faster decisions and communications.