Live Video Streaming Takes Center Stage as Clubhouse-led 'Live Audio' Trend Fades

Lon Harris
Lon Harris is a contributor to dot.LA. His work has also appeared on ScreenJunkies, RottenTomatoes and Inside Streaming.
Live Video Streaming Takes Center Stage as Clubhouse-led 'Live Audio' Trend Fades
Evan Xie

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According to The Hollywood Reporter, Spotify plans to shut down its standalone live audio app, the logically-titled Spotify Live, at the end of April, as part of a larger shift away from real-time programming.

This represents something of a reversal from the last few years for the Swedish audio platform. In the early days of the pandemic, live group chat or “social audio” apps – led by Clubhouse – briefly became a major viral trend, with scores of bored people stuck at home logging in for large-scale free-ranging conversations. In March of 2021, seeking to join the wave, Spotify acquired Betty Labs, the startup behind the live chat app Locker Room, for around $67.7 million.


The Live Audio Autopsy

Locker Room was a sports-focused platform giving fans a place to connect, discuss their favorite teams and, let’s be honest, trash talk at a time when in-person events weren’t happening and sports bars were shut down. The app hadn’t built a massive community at the time of the acquisition – only counting around 19,000 installs post-launch – but nonetheless gave Spotify a presence in the exciting new world of social audio. At the time, the company’s research and development chief, Gustav Söderström, openly acknowledged that features like Locker Room might not ever drive revenue but added “it has potential, and it’s our job to explore.”

Despite Locker Room’s relatively slow start, on paper, the deal made some sense. Whereas a new upstart app had to attract a lot of users quickly in order to jumpstart worthwhile conversations, Spotify already had hundreds of thousands of people listening to the latest Gorillaz joint, ready to try out any new features the moment they appeared. As well, Spotify already collects personalization data on the listening habits of its users, in order to better recommend content to them. Tying that recommendation engine into curated programming – say, alerting a user when a hot podcast about a subject of specific interest to them was starting – seemed like a natural evolution for live audio platforms.

By June 2021, Spotify had launched its own live audio app – Greenroom – which was rebranded to Spotify Live in 2022. This was accompanied by a large-scale marketing push by the company around live content, incorporating the company’s line-up of big-name celebrity podcasters, like “Call Her Daddy” host Alex Cooper, “Daily Show” vet Hasan Minhaj, and influencer Tana Mongeau.

By late 2022, though, it became clear that internet users were losing interest in live audio, either due to an end to pandemic lockdown protocols or just the trend wearing itself out organically. In December of last year, Spotify started quietly cancelling a number of its live shows, including “Deux Me After Dark,” “Doughboys: Snack Pack,” and “The Movie Buff.”

In general, Spotify plans to pivot away from live content and deeper into new music discovery, with a variety of new features helping artists to promote songs to potential new fans. At a March promotional event, the platform introduced “Marquee,” a new way for artists to promote and sponsor their own releases, and an enhanced discovery tool helping artists and labels to prioritize specific tracks they want to promote.

Spotify’s not alone, either. Facebook also saw the writing on the wall and scaled back its Clubhouse clone – “Live Audio Rooms” – in mid-2022. Amazon also laid off half of the team working on its Amp live radio app last year, after it failed to generate significant interest from users.

Hope for Live Streaming Video

Yet while live audio seems to have faded, live video remains a key area of interest among the major streamers. Hot on the heels of its big Chris Rock live comedy experiment, Netflix has announced another livestreamed event – the Season 4 “Love is Blind” reunion. Couples and singles from the show will reunite along with hosts Vanessa and Nick Lachey for a livestreamed breakdown of the season’s biggest events on April 16 at 5 pm PT.

Netflix hasn’t released specific viewership numbers around the Rock special. It managed to land in Netflix’s Top 10 chart in the US on its debut week, despite only being available to stream for the final two days of eligibility, and the streamer has planned more live events in its wake, so we can presume it was at least somewhat successful. The streamer also presented the SAG Awards live on its YouTube channel this year.

User-generated content hubs like Twitch and YouTube aside, most of the interest in livestreamed video from the major subscription players remains centered around sports coverage. While there’s undoubtedly a large audience that enjoys watching live sports, moving these eyeballs on to streaming platforms also remains a bit of an inexact, uncertain science at this point.

According to Nielsen, Amazon’s 11-year mega-deal to bring “Thursday Night Football” to the Prime Video platform averaged around 9.58 million viewers per game in its first season. Amazon’s own internal figures put the numbers at more like 11.3 million viewers. That’s still below the viewership on “Thursday Night Football” games back in the 2021 season, when they were also being simulcast on Fox and cable’s NFL Network, but it’s still better than many had predicted, considering that the games were now streaming behind the Prime Video paywall.

With Amazon’s contributions more than making up for the loss of ad revenue, the NFL financially profits off of the deal, according to The Athletic. Apple’s “Friday Night Baseball” live streams go fully behind the paywall this year, after some games were available to stream for free last season. That company also may still be looking to get deeper into live video; a recent report indicated that they’re considering a bid on English Premier League soccer rights as well. Ultimately, it may just come down to the content itself. While “live podcasts” failed to become appointment viewing once Americans were freed from lockdown and allowed to go to brunch again, baseball and football games retain enough significance to get Americans to actually plop down on their couch at a pre-set time and flip on their favorite streaming devices. - Lon Harris

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⚖️FTC’s "Click to Cancel" Rule and Its Ripple Effect on Tech

🔦 Spotlight

Happy Friday Los Angeles,

The FTC’s new “Click to Cancel” rule is shaking up subscription-based tech. Now, instead of navigating a maze of cancellation hurdles, users can cancel subscriptions as easily as they signed up—with a single click. This shift is a wake-up call for SaaS, streaming, and app-based companies, where once-hidden exit options often kept users around simply because canceling was a hassle.

The rule also requires businesses to send regular renewal reminders, ensuring customers stay informed about upcoming charges. It's more than a cancellation button—it’s about transparency and giving users control over their decisions.

For startups, the impact goes deeper than UX adjustments. Many have relied on "dark patterns," which subtly discourage cancellations by hiding the exit. Now, companies must shift toward building genuine loyalty by delivering real value, not by complicating exits.

While this might affect retention rates initially, it could lead to more sustainable business models that rely on satisfaction-driven loyalty. Investors may start prioritizing companies that emphasize transparent, long-term engagement over those that depend on dark patterns to maintain retention metrics.

The rule opens the door to more ethical UX design and a truly user-centered approach across the tech industry. It may even set a precedent against manipulative design in other areas, such as privacy settings or payment methods.

Ultimately, the “Click to Cancel” rule presents an opportunity for the tech industry to foster trust and build stronger customer relationships. Startups and established companies that embrace transparency will likely stand out as leaders in a new era of customer-centric tech, where trust—not tricky design—is what retains users.

As the tech landscape continues to evolve, LA Tech Week 2024 offers a chance to explore these shifts in real-time. Check out the upcoming event lineups to stay informed and make the most of your time:

For updates or more event information, visit the official Tech Week calendar.


🤝 Venture Deals

LA Companies

  • Ghost, a company supporting top brands and retailers with streamlined logistics and fulfillment solutions, raised a $40M Series C funding round led by L Catterton to fuel its continued growth and innovation. - learn more

LA Venture Funds
  • Assembly Ventures participated in a $27M Series A round for Monogoto, a provider of software-defined connectivity solutions that enable secure, cloud-based IoT and cellular network management on a global scale. - learn more
  • Angeleno Group participated in a $32M Series C round for REsurety, a company that recently launched an innovative clean energy marketplace aimed at providing better financial and operational insights to support renewable energy transactions. - learn more

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    🌴🧑‍💻 Your Guide to LA Tech Week 2024

    🔦 Spotlight

    Happy Friday Los Angeles,

    As many of you know, LA Tech Week is right around the corner, kicking off next Monday October 14th bringing together founders, creatives, investors, and engineers for a week of immersive events, panels, and socials across the city. From blockchain and AI to biotech and design, LA Tech Week is a chance to dive into the ideas shaping today’s technology landscape.


    What to Look Forward To

    Insights from Visionary Leaders: Hear firsthand from industry trailblazers as they share stories, challenges, and key lessons from their experiences. Expect fresh perspectives on AI, venture capital, biotech, and the ethical questions around emerging technologies.

    Interactive Panels: This week isn’t about watching from the sidelines; it’s about engaging directly with the tech community. Participate in hands-on panels discussing everything from startup scaling to ethical AI, with honest insights from those actively shaping these fields.

    Networking Mixers & Social Events: Meet and connect with founders, VCs, developers, designers, and fellow techies across LA. Rooftop mixers, lunch meetups, and creative gatherings offer the perfect chance to spark ideas and collaborate.

    Plan your week with the daily lineup, organized by location for easy navigation:

    For updates or more event information, visit the official Tech Week calendar.

    Enjoy LA Tech Week 2024!!


    🤝 Venture Deals

    LA Companies

    • Clout Kitchen, a Los Angeles and Manila based startup, has raised $4.45M in seed funding, co-led by a16z SPEEDRUN and Peak XV’s Surge, to develop AI-powered digital twins, which enables gaming creators to produce realistic virtual avatars for content and fan engagement. - learn more
    • MeWe, a privacy-focused social media platform, has raised an initial $6M in Series B funding led by McCourt Global to support Web3 integration and expand its decentralized network for 20 millions users. - learn more

      LA Venture Funds
      • EGB Capital participated in a $10M Series A funding round for MiLaboratories, which develops software that enables biologists to independently analyze complex genomic data, accelerating research and discovery in fields like drug development. - learn more
      • Crosscut Ventures participated in the $13.75M seed round for Airloom Energy, a company focused on developing airborne wind energy technology to harness high-altitude winds, with plans to accelerate a pilot project in Wyoming. - learn more
      • Overture VC participated in a $5.5M Seed funding round for Molg Inc., a company developing robotics and software for circular manufacturing, designed to disassemble electronics efficiently and recover valuable materials to reduce e-waste and support sustainable production. - learn more


        LA Exits

        • Options MD, a Los Angeles based telemedicine platform that provides care for people suffering from severe and treatment-resistant mental illness, is set to be acquired by Resilience Lab, an AI-driven provider focused on enhancing mental health care access. - learn more

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        LA Tech Week 2024: Saturday-Sunday Event Lineup
        tech-week

        Here’s what’s happening during the closing weekend (Oct 19 - Oct 20) of LA Tech Week 2024! Events are organized by location so you can easily catch the sessions that interest you most.

        SATURDAY EVENTS

        BEVERLY HILLS

        12:00 PM

        • BIG Showcase (Invite Only):

        BIG Showcase (Invite Only)

        2:00 PM

        Light Dao

        Struck Capital, Seahorse Express

        EAGLE ROCK

        12:00 PM

        Sunrise Integration, Shopify

        EL SEGUNDO

        9:00 PM

        Administratum, Valar Atomics

        HOLLYWOOD

        10:00 AM

        Passes

        MALIBU

        6:00 PM

        • Malibu Beachfront Investors Networking & Wine Tasting:See Details

        Gaya Ventures

        MARINA DEL RAY

        6:00 PM

        • Awaken Your Spirit: A Journey of Transformation (Invite Only)

        Sagos Distro, Alma Wellness

        SANTA MONICA

        7:00 AM

        Founders Running Club

        8:30 AM

        Techstars

        9:00 AM

        Magic Mind

        StartupStarter, Inc., City of Santa Monica

        10:00 AM

        Gen She

        AI LA

        Crea, Barry's, Unsubscribe

        10:30 AM

        Plantologist

        11:30 AM

        • Pickleball Palooza (Invite Only)

        YouTube

        1:00 PM

        • Realfren Games: From strangers to an inner Realfren within 52 weekends: See Details

        Office for Humanity and Circuit Works

        • Talking blockchain technology with special guests: See Details

        LadyDayDao

        5:00 PM

        KARD, What's Plots

        THE VALLEY

        7:00 AM

        Camino5

        VENICE

        9:00 AM

        Westside Yogis

        11:00 AM

        Open App

        1:00 PM

        Ripe and Teddy's Hot House

        4:00 PM

        • Fashion Forward: How AI is Redefining the Fashion Industry: See Details

        VIAVIA, BNTO.RENT, ALMA.AI

        VIRTUAL

        11:00 AM

        BLCK UNICRN

        WEST HOLLYWOOD

        7:00 PM

        Next Sequence

        SUNDAY EVENTS

        INGLEWOOD

        12:00 PM

        Entrepreneur Ventures, VCPE GROUPS

        PLAYA DEL RAY

        2:00 PM

        AI LA, DELL, NVIDIA

        SANTA MONICA

        10:00 AM

        • Women Founders, Cold Brew & Beach View, Rooftop: See Details

        Clutch Talent

        11:00 AM

        11DollarSunglasses.com, Less Litter Foundation

        12:00 PM

        Data in LA, Amplitude

        12:30 AM

        New Moon, Warner UK Innovations

        TOPANGA CANYON

        3:00 PM

        Dreamore

        VENICE

        8:00 AM

        • Surf session with founders, investors, creators: See Details

        Surfed Club, Bow Shock

        12:00 PM

        • Podcast Panel and Brunch: LA Tech Community Builders: See Details

        WeAreLATech.com, Blankspaces.com

        VIRTUAL

        2:00 PM

        BLCK UNICRN


        For updates or more event information, visit the official Tech Week calendar.

        Enjoy LA Tech Week 2024!


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