As part of its efforts to bring social audio experiences to Facebook, the social media giant has added Live Audio Rooms and Podcasts on Facebook. Both features are tied around Facebook Groups – currently available to 1.8 billion people, and Public figures to ensure app-wide adoption.
Live Audio Rooms in Facebook and Messenger allow group owners and public figures host conversations similar to Clubhouse and Spaces by Twitter. Group members can join and engage with conversations via the News Feed and notifications, and set reminders on titles they are interested in. The host can only invite up to 50 speakers before or during a conversation, however, there is no limit to the number of listeners that can tune in.
Group admins have the overall control over which moderators, members and other admins can control a Live Audio Room. Only members can listen to the Live Audio Room in Private Groups while both members and visitors can listen in Public Groups. The room hosts can select non-profit or fundraisers during the conversation to allow listeners and speakers to directly donate.
In addition to Live Audio Rooms, Facebook users can now directly listen to Podcasts within the platform. Podcasts covering range of subjects can be assessed directly on news feed or via the Podcast’s Facebook page. Listeners decide listen using the miniplayer or full-screen player feature, and in the background when the display is off. Other feature arriving later include live captions and short clips creation and sharing.
Source: Facebook Newsroom
