REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Consider a Three-Month Pilot Program to Stream Council Meetings on Facebook Live and Consider Budget Modification No. 10 in the Amount of $6,500 to Fund the Pilot Program.
Report
BACKGROUND
The City of Sunnyvale has a long practice of live streaming meetings on the City's agenda management system, Granicus. When Santa Clara County enacted shelter-in-place orders in March 2020, City staff transitioned to holding City Council meetings online. Staff initially conducted the virtual meetings using 8x8 Video Meetings then switched to Zoom. Both meeting platforms allowed live streaming to either Facebook Live or YouTube. For an additional cost, the City could stream to both social media platforms using a third-party service called Restream. After considering the City's strategy for Facebook and YouTube's clear advantages as a video platform, staff chose to live stream to YouTube exclusively.
Currently, the City conducts meetings via Zoom, broadcasts on cable television, and live streams to Granicus and YouTube. Members of the public can easily access meetings on YouTube using a quick link: YouTube.com/SunnyvaleMeetings. Council along with Board and Commission meetings are branded on the YouTube channel with specific tile images making it easy for users to select meetings of interest. Viewing options for the meetings are included on the meeting agendas, posted on the City's website, sent to subscribers of meeting announcements via Constant Contact, and promoted on Twitter prior to each meeting.
On August 25, Council directed staff to prepare a Report to Council to consider approval of a three-month pilot program to live stream Council meetings on Facebook Live. The goal would be to increase public engagement with Council meetings.
DISCUSSION
Staff continues to believe that YouTube is the best platform for live streaming City meetings. However, based on Council direction, staff evaluated the feasibility and potential success of Facebo...
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