Meta to Introduce Broadcast Channels on Facebook, Messenger

Mark Zuckerberg revealed today that TV channels are coming to Facebook and Messenger.

The most recent addition to Facebook’s extensive collection of tools that Page admins, such as artists and public personalities, can use to directly connect and further engage with their communities, are broadcast channels, which are a public, one-to-many messaging platform for Pages.

Additionally, broadcast channels provide a space for viewers to explore further the topics that are most important to them and feel even more engaged. Administrators of Pages can submit behind-the-scenes photographs or videos, use voice notes for more sincere communication, and leverage broadcast channel capabilities like polls to obtain immediate reactions from their audience.

The ability for Pages to build broadcast channels is currently being tested, and we anticipate launching it soon. To stay up to speed with the latest from their favorite Pages, Facebook users can subscribe to these broadcast channels.

How It Works

You can launch a channel directly from your Page if you have a Page on Facebook in a region where broadcast channels are currently offered. If not, you can join the waitlist and be informed when the feature becomes available.

Followers of that Page will receive a one-time notification inviting them to join the broadcast channel after the broadcast channel has been set up and the first message has been sent. Members of the broadcast channel can respond to messages and cast their votes in polls, but only the channel’s creator can send messages.

From the Facebook profile of your favorite Page, you can join broadcast channels and view the ones you’ve already joined in your conversations list. You’ll start getting notifications when new content is released as soon as you subscribe to the channel. By tapping the “mute” icon in the channel thread’s upper right corner, notifications can be turned off.

For more information on how these work, visit the Help Center.