Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is expanding its popular Telegram-like “broadcast channels” feature to Facebook and Messenger, following its successful rollout on Instagram and WhatsApp earlier this year. The company made the announcement today, revealing that the feature will be available on these two platforms in the coming weeks.
Key Takeaway
Meta is introducing Telegram-like “broadcast channels” to Facebook and Messenger, expanding its reach beyond Instagram and WhatsApp. This feature enables creators and public figures to share one-to-many messages and engage directly with their followers.
The broadcast channels feature allows creators and public figures to share one-to-many messages, enabling direct engagement with their followers. These channels support various types of content, including text, images, polls, and reactions, among others. While only the channel creator can send messages, viewers have the ability to react and participate in polls.
Creators and public figures can utilize the broadcast channels to share updates with their followers and provide behind-the-scenes glimpses. Notably, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other company executives have been utilizing these channels to share news about feature and product releases.
Currently, Meta is testing the ability for Pages on Facebook to create broadcast channels, and plans to release this functionality in the coming weeks. Page managers will be able to start a channel directly from their Page, if the option is available, or join the waitlist if it is not yet accessible.
Once a broadcast channel has been created and the first message shared, the channel’s followers will receive a one-time prompt asking if they want to join. Users can directly join broadcast channels from a Page’s profile on Facebook and will subsequently receive notifications for each new message. It’s possible to mute these notifications while remaining in the channel. The complete list of broadcast channels a user is part of can be viewed in their chat list.
Netflix, WWE, League of Legends, and the International Cricket Committee are among the broadcast channels currently live on Facebook and Messenger.
The introduction of broadcast channels provides creators and public figures with a new avenue to update their followers within Meta’s family of apps. Traditionally, creators have relied on stories or posts to share news and updates, but now they have the option for more direct engagement with their fan base.
While some users may welcome this expansion, others may feel differently. In response to Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook post announcing the feature’s expansion, one top comment reads: “I miss how each app used to be unique.” These users may argue that having the same feature on all of Meta’s apps eliminates their distinctiveness. Consequently, it’s worth considering whether being part of someone’s broadcast channel on Instagram necessitates being a member of their Facebook channel and receiving another set of notifications.
