Don’t Make These Nine Mistakes When Live Streaming Your Public Meetings

With critical communications on the line, clerks cannot afford to present digital meetings in anything other than highly professional, clear, and undistorted digital streams when both broadcast live and watched as recordings. If you want to add or improve your public meeting live broadcasting capabilities, review the nine common mistakes below, and then work with your council and IT staff to ensure your meeting broadcasts stimulate valuable civic experiences — not technology frustrations.

1. Bandwidth: Do Not Broadcast Without Sufficient Bandwidth

To produce quality live video engagement experiences, you may need to work with your IT department to increase your streaming bandwidth capabilities. Even if you shoot high-definition video without the bandwidth to broadcast, viewers will suffer through choppy, fuzzy, or repeatedly stalling video, making them more likely to turn off the broadcast.

2. Testing: Do Not Forget to Test Equipment and Atmosphere

Before any broadcast, but particularly your first one, test everything from the room’s acoustics to the lighting and bandwidth to your streaming and closed captioning software. To ensure optimal success, practice your entire meeting from start to finish using all the equipment you will use during your live event. Invite your board or council members to attend the practice session as well so that they, too, will know what to expect during the live broadcast. Not only will a full practice session allow you to troubleshoot unavoidable and unexpected hiccups — something as simple as your extension cord not reaching the outlets — but everyone will feel confident during the live meeting so that they can focus on content and not recording logistics.

3. Lighting: Do Not Rely on Existing Lighting

You may not have much control over the room in which your public meeting takes place, but do your best to ensure ample lighting, that the speaker is not backlit, that presenters are close to microphones, and that the camera is on a stable surface and not being held by someone who will inevitably suffer wrist fatigue. Bring a video camera to your meeting room and test the lighting a few days in advance. If necessary, work with your facility crew to bring additional temporary lights to the meeting space to ensure your viewers can see the faces and expressions of those speaking clearly.

4. Audio: Do Not Forget to Check Your Mute Button

If you temporarily mute your audio during a break or if you are not speaking, ensure you have a visual trigger to check yourself when you begin speaking again. Otherwise, your virtual viewers will not be able to hear from you, and no one from your remote audience will be able to let you know you are on mute.

5. Electric: Do Not Rely on Battery Power

Council meetings that last several hours may put your microphone batteries to the test, along with batteries in laptops, video cameras, and even your projector remote control. If you need to temporarily halt discussions so a staff member can retrieve an extension cord from the office, you will disappoint attendees and risk losing momentum during crucial discussions. Plug every device possible into nearby outlets and bring extra battery power every time.

6. Camera Angles: Do Not Focus on Only One Perspective

Viewers will get the most out of their streaming experience and be likelier to watch subsequent broadcasts if the presentation is as dynamic as possible. Place your camera in a position inside the room where participants can see board members as well as the speaker podium.

7. Accessibility: Do Not Risk a Compliance Lawsuit

Ensure your audio feeds directly into your camera for the highest possible sound quality and offer closed captioning services. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) identifies video closed captioning as a best practice for providing equitable content. Make sure you choose a media solution that enables closed captioning services of recorded video to make it easier for individuals with hearing impairments to comprehend vital discussions.

8. Mobility: Do Not Expect All Viewers to Watch Your Presentation on a Desktop Computer

People are engaging in digital content on various devices, form factors, platforms, and screen sizes. Make sure you choose a media solution that is mobile optimized so that residents can watch proceedings anytime from any Apple® or Android™ device.

9. Bookmarking: Do Not Make Viewers Search Frame-by-Frame for Specific Content

Make it easy for viewers to expedite the review of meeting components of interest by choosing a media solution that allows you to bookmark specific meeting segments — without the need for technical video editing or post-production after-effects knowledge.

Conclusion

Ensuring a seamless and professional live broadcasting experience for public meetings is crucial for engaging residents and fostering valuable civic experiences. By avoiding the common mistakes outlined above and working closely with your council and IT staff, you can elevate the quality of your digital streams and prevent technology frustrations. From bandwidth and testing to lighting, audio, and accessibility considerations, each aspect is vital in delivering clear, undistorted broadcasts that resonate with your audience. By prioritizing these factors and implementing best practices, you can create an optimal environment for transparent and effective communication with your community members during live events and when they access recordings.

Bonus: Also read these best practices on how to make live streaming for your next local government meeting better.