Twitter will livestream the fluffiest part of the fluffiest awards show, namely the red carpet ceremony of the Golden Globes awards. The pre-show will provide, if you can believe it, two full hours of people walking on a carpet that is red, complete with glamor and (hopefully) sass. "The Hollywood Foreign Press Association is always searching for innovative ways and original tools to reach our audience ... and Twitter is the recognized partner to help us expand our audience," HFPA President Lorenzo Soria said in a statement.
Twitter probably won't put "the recognized partner" on an aspirational poster, but the tie-up does make sense. Folks like to tweet during the Globes, Oscars and other big TV events to to amuse themselves during the long periods of boredom. As Twitter notes, since it's hosting the pre-show shenanigans, you're just a swipe away from a fire tweet. "Twitter is where the conversation about the Golden Globes happens. Viewers Tweet along before, during and after the award show," said Twitter COO Anthony Noto.
The social network will not carry the actual presentation, but the pre-show is a nice option for wire-cutters who only want to see well-dressed celebs vamp and answer inane interview questions. You'll be able to catch it on a smartphone, the web and connected devices without needing a cable TV subscription.
Twitter is still trying to turn its rabid user base into advertising dollars and is pinning a lot of hope on livestreaming. So far, it has had some success with the NFL, MLB, NHLA, Wimbledon and other prime clients. Now that a rumored sale with Disney and other suits has fallen through (thanks in part to the social network's nasty dark side) it's going to have to find a way to bump its revenue, by whatever means necessary. You can catch "The HFPA Presents: Globes Red Carpet Live" here on January 8th from 6 to 8 PM ET.