Meerkat and Periscope Put Live Streaming in the Hands of Attendees
April 10, 2015
Up until a few weeks ago if you typed Meerkat into a Google search you would see images of small mongooses. When searching the term periscope, you would get pages and pages of references to an optical instrument.
Today, those same Google searches provide pages and pages of content referring to two much-talked about apps that let users stream live video from their mobile phone.
Meerkat was the first to flood news feeds when attendees at SXSW started using it. John Shinal writing for USA Today said, “the most popular uses of the app was using Meerkat to stream others using Meerkat.”
Ben Rubin, co-founder and CEO of Meerkat, boasted in a tweet that one person built the app in just eight weeks.
Once users fire up the app and start live streaming, a tweet is automatically sent out to their followers with a link to the stream. Anyone can click on that link and view and comment on the stream. But they have to catch it live. The stream is not stored for viewing later.
That was the way it worked until Twitter announced its acquisition of rival startup Periscope. Very quickly, Twitter began restricting access to its data. Data that includes who’s following whom on the social network. Meerkat was left scrambling to come up with another way for its user to discover its live streams.
While Meerkat is currently lagging behind Periscope in popularity in the App Store, both apps are seeing engagement as users are experimenting with live streaming.
Event organizers are beginning to ask what impact will apps like these have on their events? Attendees could very easily live stream keynote presentations, educational sessions, and trade show floor activity. All content that people pay to come to see.
Attendees could also live stream new product demonstrations, all the people they are getting to meet, and the fun they are having at networking events. Activities that might encourage someone to attend in person next year.
Bob Bowman, MLB Advanced Media CEO and president said a report by the Wall Street Journal saying Major League Baseball would be banning the use of live streaming apps was not correct.
“I think we all just need to pump the brakes here, this is an issue looking for a headline. It’s not going to be an issue; it’s going to be helpful to the game of baseball,” Bowman said in an interview with CNBC.
It’s too early to tell if live streaming apps like these will have a positive or negative effect on trade shows and expos. Mobile devices, social media and the Internet of Things have already changed the way attendees share and interact with events and organizers have adapted. Live streaming apps are just another social tool organizers will have to evaluate and plan for.
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is on track to spend at least 15% of its biddable procurement with diverse-owned businesses by 2025, demonstrating that supplier diversity is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic business imperative.
Supplier diversity isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business. A diverse supply chain allows access to a broader range of perspectives and experience, helping to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience, while strengthening communities. At MGM Resorts, engaging diverse suppliers ensures best-in-class experiences for guests and clients. Supplier diversity ensures a more resilient supply chain while supporting economic development in the communities in which it operates.
The impact of MGM Resorts' supplier diversity initiatives is significant. In 2023, these efforts supported over 3,500 jobs across more than 30 states, contributed over $214 million in income for diverse-owned businesses and generated more than $62 million in tax revenue. The story extends beyond the numbers – it reflects the tangible benefits brought to small and diverse-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment in their communities.
MGM Resorts also supports the development and business skills of diverse-owned businesses through investment, mentorship and education. Through the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program, the company identifies, mentors and develops diverse-owned businesses to fill its future pipeline, while providing businesses with tools and resources to empower and uplift. Since 2017, the program has successfully graduated 105 diverse-owned businesses and is on track to achieve its goal of 150 graduates by 2025.
MGM Resorts’ commitment to supplier diversity not only enhances its business operations but also plays a crucial role in uplifting communities and fostering economic development. This approach reinforces the idea that diversity is a powerful driver of innovation and resilience, benefiting both the company and the wider community.
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