Instagram Broadcast Channels: who can start one and what members can do

Broadcast Channels are Instagram's one-to-many chat. Instagram announced them in February 2023, and creators have been asking since whether they are worth the effort.

We read Instagram's announcement and its Help Centre pages. Here is what they say, and the things we could not confirm.

What is an Instagram Broadcast Channel?

In its announcement of 16 February 2023 Instagram said creators can send messages in a channel. They "can use text, photo, video and voice notes to share their latest updates and behind-the-scenes moments."

The direction is one way: "Only creators can send messages, while followers can react to content and vote in polls." It is a place to speak to your followers, not a group chat.

Who can start a channel?

Instagram's Help Centre says: "Channels can be started by a public account with more than 1,000 followers." It also says: "Bear in mind that channels are slowly being released on Instagram and aren't available to everyone at this time."

An older snippet we saw gave a different follower figure, and the pages do not show an update date, so check the current requirement in your own app. We could not confirm whether channels are available to Indian accounts today.

What can members do?

The page for people joining a channel says members can "read, react and reply to messages" and "vote in polls that are sent by creators or collaborators."

It also says: "This feature is only available in the Instagram app for Android, iPhone and iPad." And the page says that reactions, replies and poll responses are "visible to anyone on Instagram."

That last one matters. If you invite people to reply in a channel, tell them it is public.

Is a channel worth starting?

This is our view. A channel is worth considering if you already have followers who want updates from you, and you have things to say that do not fit a post: a quick note, a behind-the-scenes photo, a poll.

• It suits short, frequent updates better than long, polished posts.
• A poll is a quick way to ask your followers what to make next.
• It is a place for the people most interested in you, not a way to reach strangers.

We found no source on how many people a channel can hold, or on how channels affect reach, so we make no claim on either.

Questions people ask