Facebook adds Live Audio Rooms and podcasts to its app
As part of its plans to bring social audio experiences to Facebook, the company is rolling out Live Audio Rooms and podcasts from today, in the US.
Public figures and select Facebook Groups in the US can create Live Audio Rooms on iOS and select podcasts will be available to listeners in the US.
The company says it will expand the ability for more public figures and Groups to host a Live Audio Room and introduce new features for both experiences in the coming months.
Initial podcasts will include Joe Budden of The Joe Budden Podcast; “Jess Hilarious” of Carefully Reckless from The Black Effect Podcast Network and iHeartRadio; Keltie Knight, Becca Tobin, and Jac Vanek of the LadyGang; and Nicaila Matthews Okome of Side Hustle Pro.
Users will be able to listen to podcasts while browsing Facebook, via a miniplayer or full-screen player with playback options, including with their phone display turned off.
People will also be able to listen to select podcast creators on their Facebook Pages, as well as in the News Feed.
Additional features will be added later this summer, including captions and the ability to create and share short clips of a podcast.
Facebook hasn’t indicated when Live Audio Rooms and podcasts will be available to those outside of the US.