LOS ANGELES — TMZ, the extremely successful celebrity gossip site and syndicated television show owned by Time Warner, is getting traction with online live streaming.

A live streaming video of a parking lot, where Britney Spears was expected, grabbed thousands of viewers for nearly two hours. A recent courthouse appearance by Hulk Hogan’s  son captivated many others.

With just a simple video camera, laptop and  mobile phone connection,  producers and reporters from TMZ are bringing live stories to its online viewers. 

We have been seeing an explosion in live streaming.  It is interesting indeed to see how mainstream media is using these tools.

Last week, I spoke with Alan Citron, General Manager of TMZ at the Always OnHollywood conference in Los Angeles.

— Andy Plesser