Interactive news: New Year’s Eve is a time of celebration, reflection, and anticipation for the year ahead. It’s a moment when people from all over the world come together to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new. Interactive news local broadcasts play a significant role in capturing the spirit of this momentous occasion, and in 2024, stations like NBC 5 in Dallas and KING 5 in Seattle, took their New Year’s Eve countdown specials to the next level by incorporating interactive programming that engaged viewers in exciting ways.
Interactive News: NBC 5 Lone Star NYE – Trending Nationally
NBC 5’s Lone Star New Year’s Eve broadcast was a multi-state celebration, airing across Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, and Kansas. They encouraged viewers to join in the celebration by using the hashtag #LoneStarNYE, fostering interaction on platforms like Instagram and X.
Producers brought those posts to the broadcast in an engaging way, and what started as a regional party soon transformed into a national trend. Highlighting fun, family, and festive posts from watch parties and celebrations around the region, the clock counted down and the engagement grew, ultimately reaching the second spot on the national trends list that night.
The show used a variety of dynamic graphics to display the user-generated content. Some of these graphics displayed multiple posts simultaneously, maximizing the inclusion of viewer contributions and emphasizing the sheer volume of posts received. Additionally, the broadcast took moments to shine a spotlight on some of the “best of” posts, ones that truly encapsulated the excitement and enthusiasm of the viewers, presenting them in full-screen.
One particularly heartwarming aspect was the recognition of specific locations where viewers were celebrating. Given the vast broadcast area, this brought a sense of community to the event. Producers even employed a heat map, powered by real-time social data, to illustrate where the broadcast received the most hashtag interactions, with the Dallas area stealing the show. The hosts took advantage of this information to create memorable shoutout moments.
The interactive engagement didn’t stop there. While the social content made for great bumps in and out of breaks, it also kept things buzzing as a lower third display when Bowling for Soup was rocking the stage. This added an extra layer of engagement and allowed viewers to read and look for their posts while enjoying the music.
Interactive Programming: KING 5 New Year’s at the Needle – Branded Polling
KING 5’s New Year’s at the Needle also went regional this year, airing live across the Seattle, Spokane, and Portland areas. In the build up to the drone and firework spectacular, one thing that made their broadcast stand out was their innovative use of interactive polling. Through the use of QR codes, viewers could scan, vote, and watch the results update in real-time. Viewers didn’t waste anytime participating, as the results were very impressive, with each poll racking up thousands of votes, and the collective total for the night in the ten’s of thousands.
The beauty of KING 5’s approach was how seamlessly these polls were integrated into their broadcast. The entire show, including the polling segments, was sponsored, both on-air and online. This not only enhanced viewer engagement but also drove web traffic. Moreover, these polls became conversation points and provided fun ad-lib opportunities for the hosts, who shared their own opinions and proudly declared their votes. By revisiting the polls throughout the show, KING 5 allowed viewers to witness how the voting progressed, adding an element of excitement to the countdown.
Incorporating interactive news programming into New Year’s Eve countdown specials is a winning strategy for local news broadcasts. NBC 5 and KING 5 demonstrated how creativity and technology can enhance viewer engagement, while also creating new ways for monetization through the introduction of brands directly into the programming in seamless fashion. As we move forward in 2024, whether you’re hosting a broadcast special, tentpole event, or even daily newscasts, the interactive elements displayed on New Year’s Eve are segments that can be introduced into all kinds of programming.