Los Angeles public radio station KCRW(FM) has introduced live streaming on their YouTube channel, beginning with U.K. buzz band King Krule. The NPR affiliate, licensed to Santa Monica College, will stream select live performances from their signature music show “Morning Becomes Eclectic.”
KCRW’s YouTube channel currently hosts a selection of single song highlights from previously recorded performances. Recent additions include the U.S. radio debut of Mercury Prize-nominated artist Laura Mvula, 16-year-old New Zealand native Lorde and the return of Franz Ferdinand.
“YouTube has been a successful platform for KCRW to share the greatest music moments in our studios, but now we have a chance to open up our unique programming to a massive audience,” said Director of Web and Mobile Development Nathan Lubeck.
KCRW’s YouTube page currently has acquired over 35 million views. The most popular video — Gotye’s live version of “Somebody I Used to Know,” recorded months before it became a commercial radio success, has about 16 million views.
While the bulk of KCRW’s YouTube audience (40%) is in the U.S., they have viewership spread across other countries, including four views from inside Vatican City.
KCRW’s music programming is also available via three mobile apps, KCRW’s iPad app Music Mine, aimed at music discovery, as well as live-streaming via iHeartRadio, TuneIn, iTunes and more.
