Twitter teams with CBS News to live-stream Republican and Democratic national conventions - CNET

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Twitter is adding presidential politics to its live-streaming repertoire.

The social network, known in part for its users' bite-size, and often biting, commentary in real time, will be joining forces with CBS News to live-stream CBSN's coverage of the Republican and Democratic national conventions, the first of which kicks off next week. (Disclosure: CBS is the parent company of CNET.)

It's yet another step in Twitter's shift toward live-streamed video, a format that has also been embraced by rival Facebook. Later this year, for instance, Twitter will stream the NFL's Thursday night football games, and the company is reportedly in negotiations to get the digital streaming rights for the NBA and Major League Soccer.

For the political conventions, Twitter will provide the fastest way to find out what's happening and to talk about it, said Anthony Noto, Twitter's financial chief, about the deal, announced Monday.

"We believe we're giving people around the world the best way to experience democracy in action," he said.