Live Twitter broadcasts to get easier

Twitter is rolling out a live video API that will make it easier for media publishers to stream video on the social platform.

According to TechCrunch, the API, which works in a similar manner to the Facebook Live API introduced last year, will be introduced today (March 21st).

It will enable customers to connect professional video equipment directly to Twitter, enhancing its appeal to bigger publishers and leading to higher-quality broadcasts and more powerful video editing capabilities.

The API builds on Periscope Producer, the existing offering that was designed to attract vloggers and integrate broadcasts on Periscope - Twitter's livestreaming app - with Twitter.

Interest in the Periscope app, which is available for iOS and Android, has dipped in recent months, after competitors like Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook ramped up their livestreaming capabilities.

In a bid to combat this, late last year Twitter added the ability to broadcast live directly from the Twitter app, rather having users rely on installing Periscope.