OC Forum COVID-19 Virtual Town Hall

The OC Forum is Orange County, California's oldest and most respected Public Affairs program. Traditionally, the organization hosts monthly luncheons with visionary speakers to provide a public forum for the day's leading issues. The emerging Coronavirus crisis in early March 2020 presented the organization with a unique challenge: How to bring relevant information and programming to our audience when in-person programs were being canceled every day.

Communications LAB quickly pivoted to develop a new, LIVE, web-streamed program with leaders across the spectrum to discuss and explain Coronavirus. In a first for the non-profit, the virtual town hall was developed in little over a week's time and open anyone with internet access. The program was streamed live on YouTube and Facebook Live and promoted across multiple social and web channels. Utilizing a special partnership with the University of California, Irvine, the agency was able to conduct the live program from the University's Interactive COVE center all while managing multiple guest appearances, three live segments, and maintaining social distancing guidelines.

Typically, the OC Forum welcomes 200 guests to individual luncheon programs. The virtual program generated more than 6000 views within 24 hours and continues to grow (as of March 30.) Traditional news outlets (KTLA Channel 5 and Spectrum News 1 - both based in Los Angeles) used the live-feeds to generate news stories on the day the show aired. Furthermore, Communications LAB filmed the entire show in full HD video and was able to produce high-resolution clips and distribute those to partners and presenters post-show to allow for further streaming and sharing opportunities.

A final triumph for the program was the outcome for the two non-profits who appeared - the United Way of Orange County and the Second Harvest Food Bank. After watching the program, So Cal Gas announced it would donate $50,000 to each organization to support their pandemic efforts and covered all OC Forum's costs to produce the show.