Want to take the plunge and create your own Web TV? Whether it’s a project for your community, your high school, or a nonprofit, it’s a great challenge to take on! This article is a written version of the ebook “Web TV: The Guide,” which you can also read in full as a PDF.
As a reminder, a Web TV is a digital medium where a TV-style program is broadcast over the internet, generally in the form of streaming videos. Shared on social media or on the streaming platform of your choice, it lets you share all kinds of content.
It’s regularly featured in schools. School districts often praise Web TV as a fun way to teach students the basics of journalism and media!
Here are the 10 key steps to launching a Web TV:
- Define your Web TV’s editorial focus
- Set your Web TV’s budget
- Build your team
- Choose the essential equipment and software
- Learn the basics of production
- Prepare each episode well
- Take care of your communications
- Follow the legal framework
- Analyze your Web TV’s audience
- Build a loyal community
1. Define your Web TV’s editorial focus
First and foremost, think about the identity you want to give your Web TV. Take a close look at the context: your target audience, your topics, the image you want to project… This will lay the foundation for your editorial focus. Choose a name and a visual style that truly reflect the spirit you want to bring to your Web TV.
Context analysis
- Target audience: Clearly identify your target audience. It could be cooking enthusiasts, food lovers, recipe fans, or people looking for information on specific diets.
- Topics: What kinds of content do you want to offer? Cooking tutorials, restaurant reviews, interviews with renowned chefs, recipes from around the world…
- Image and tone: Do you want to be seen as a serious, reliable source, or would you rather have a more casual, humorous tone?
Laying the groundwork for your editorial focus
- Web TV name: Choose a name that resonates with everyone and clearly signals your channel’s theme.
- Visual style: Find a visual identity that matches the image you want to project.
- Tone and hosting style: Do you want a formal or informal Web TV? It all depends on your target audience.
2. Set your Web TV’s budget
How much can you allocate to this project? Even with limited resources, it’s possible to get started. It’s essential to estimate your equipment and software needs to figure out whether you can qualify for grants or funding.
Estimating equipment and software needs
The initial investment will go toward buying audiovisual equipment and video software. You’ll need a camera, microphones, lighting, a computer, editing software, and a platform to host your videos. If you’d prefer an all-in-one solution, Kalyzée offers a complete Web TV starter pack.
Assessing your available budget
Once you’ve identified your equipment and software needs, assess how much you can put toward this project. You may already own some of this equipment, such as a computer.
Looking for additional funding
If your starting budget is limited, explore various options: grants (the CNC offers funding of up to €30,000), crowdfunding on Kickstarter, or partnerships with brands related to your field.
3. Build your team
Surround yourself with complementary people who can take charge of the technical side, editing, hosting, and communications. Here are the different roles to fill on a Web TV team:
Main host
In front of the camera, the host is responsible for presenting and introducing topics and guests.
Technical director
Especially useful for live broadcasts, this person manages the equipment and configures the cameras and microphones.
Video editor
Handles video editing and all post-production work.
Communications manager
Manages the promotion of your videos on social media, marketing, and comment moderation.
Educational Web TV
The camera that streams for you
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4. Choose the equipment and software for your Web TV
Choose your equipment
When choosing your equipment, factor in your budget while still aiming for quality. At Kalyzée, we recommend the complete Web TV pack, with everything you need to capture and record a quality Web TV.
Camera
Filming with a smartphone is possible, but it’s not ideal. If you have a limited budget, get a tripod for stability and download a dedicated video capture app such as Blackmagic Cam (free).
If you’d rather do live broadcasting with no editing, the Kast camera control unit films in Full HD and natively includes green-screen keying.
Microphones
Invest in a good external microphone. We recommend lapel-style microphones, since they offer excellent audio quality, are wireless, and fit a range of budgets.
Lighting
Portable LED kits mounted on stands are very effective and affordable. Lighting quality is crucial for getting sharp, professional-looking video.
Computer
Video editing requires a fairly powerful computer. Make sure you have enough storage, or invest in an external hard drive.
Green screen
Blend into the set by setting up a green screen in your studio. There are different types available at different price points, starting under 100 euros.
A complete kit
There are complete Web TV kits that include all the equipment mentioned above. The Kast Web TV pack, controlled via a tablet, simplifies both capture and video editing, which happens live.
Choose your software
For video editing, DaVinci Resolve is an excellent free choice with professional editing tools. For a paid option, the LumaFusion app on iPad (~€30 one-time payment) is our favorite.
Plan where you’ll host your videos
Online distribution requires a hosting service. You can use YouTube or Vimeo, or build a dedicated website with a specific video hosting service for live streaming or video on demand (VOD).
5. Learn the basics of production
Even for a beginner, it’s a good idea to get familiar with the basics of production: framing, lighting, sound recording, and editing.
1: The basics of framing
The rule of thirds
Divide your shot into 9 equal parts. Place the subjects you want to highlight along these imaginary lines or at their intersections.
Balancing your shots
Make sure to leave space between the subject and the edges of the frame to avoid a cramped feel.
2: The basics of lighting
The light source
Indoors, choose the color temperature based on the mood: cool tones for a professional atmosphere, warm tones for a more welcoming feel.
The basics of sound recording
Go with a quality microphone — never your camera’s built-in mic. We recommend lavalier-style lapel microphones. Never set sound levels too high: distorted audio can’t be fixed afterward.
The basics of editing
Plan your video’s structure ahead of time and use transitions sparingly.
6. Prepare each episode well
Preparation is key. At a minimum, plan ahead of time: the content schedule, the episode length, the guests, the day’s topic, and the format (debate, interview, presentation, etc.).
7. Take care of your communications
To have maximum impact, communications play an essential role.
A Web TV open to everyone
Optimize your social media: Create dedicated accounts on popular platforms. Regularly post clips, behind-the-scenes content, and announcements. Work on your video SEO: use relevant titles, detailed descriptions, appropriate tags, and eye-catching thumbnails.
A Web TV internal to your organization
Inform members of your organization broadly: emails, posters, information events. Get participants involved by encouraging them to share and actively take part.
8. Follow the legal framework
Freedom of speech: It has its limits. YouTube bans any content that’s hateful, violent, dangerous, sexually explicit, or misleading. Broadcasting rights: Respect copyright. Don’t use protected music or images. Also keep in mind your guests’ and participants’ image rights.
9. Analyze your Web TV’s audience
To improve, analyze your video statistics: number of views, watch time, drop-off points, traffic sources, and viewer demographics. Identify what works and iterate.
10. Build a loyal community
Create quality content, publish regularly at set times, and vary your formats. Think of yourself as your subscribers’ favorite weekly appointment. You can also run contests and highlight the most active members of your community.
Building your Web TV will take a good dose of patience — but creating a Web TV, whether for an educational or personal project, can really be worth it. So go for it, and have fun!
Enjoyed this guide? Download the PDF ebook version and share it with others!
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