Online meeting viewer numbers low but consistent

Tuesday, 13 February 2024

The number of people beaming in to watch their councils online has either stayed consistent or dropped slightly, but councils say the benefits still outweigh the costs.

Most councils in the Waikato report double digit viewer numbers, and one says it still hasn’t caught up with its colleagues and only broadcasts meetings if necessary.

South Waikato District Council started livestreaming its meetings in August 2023 and said viewer numbers fluctuate due to what’s on the council’s agenda at the time.

Its first council meeting livestream saw 184 people tune in, with its October meeting getting 112 views and its November meeting 135 views.

A technical glitch meant the 47 people who attempted to view its January meeting had no sound.

The council paid $49,000 to establish its online service and pays $26,000 a year for an annual subscription to its technology package.

In the Waipā, the December council meeting got 185 views but the most recent, on February 7, got 47.

Thames-Coromandel’s top meeting was in April 2020, when the council had just started livestreaming, with 300 online viewers.

The December 2023 meeting had similar numbers, with 272 viewers.

Matamata-Piako District Council said viewership had dropped since Covid - its average numbers went from 96 a meeting in 2020 to 41 in 2023.

“The livestream is managed in house using open source technology. The only costs for the live-stream are staff time.

“Livestreaming the meetings makes the decision making process more transparent for communities … people can also watch the meetings at a time that is convenient for them.”

Taupō District Council reported 33 views of its last meeting on February 1. Its numbers were fairly consistent with 57 views of its December 2023 meeting and 37 views of a meeting in November.

Technology issues have stopped livestreaming but recordings are now uploaded to YouTube after the fact.

Livestreaming will start again when the council shifts buildings in 2025, a statement said, and the only cost to ratepayers was staff time.

But, the Waikato District Council continues to live in the digital dark ages.

“We are currently not livestreaming meetings as we have had difficulty with our technology in the council chambers and committee rooms,” a spokesperson said.

However, a new system that allows for livestreams is expected to be in place by May.

Hauraki District Council did not respond to the Waikato Times request for comment, but in a previous article said it could livestream meetings on demand.

“At this stage, it’s as the need arises rather than every council meeting.”

Hamilton City Council missed the deadline for comment for this article.

Victoria University of Wellington political scientist and director of Transparency International New Zealand Dr Bryce Edwards said previously that there was no excuse for councils not to be live-streaming meetings.

He said digital technology had made it possible for councils to open themselves up for relatively low cost and live streaming was “at the cutting edge of local government transparency and accountability”.

Edwards said there was a “crisis in confidence in local government” across New Zealand and citizens were feeling alienated from their local councils and wanted more accountability from the people they elected.

“It really is incumbent on all local authorities to turn around that discontent and distrust and at the very least they need to be opening up council meetings in a modern, digital way.