This paper investigates the utilization of live streaming in online communication with retail investors. Using the earnings communication conference in China, we find that firms with superior performance and higher costs associated with processing earnings information are more inclined to employ live streaming during these conferences. Moreover, in line with the social presence theory, robust evidence suggests that live streaming results in more positive retail investor sentiment following the conference. Further analysis shows that live streaming is positively related to investor attention and substitutes post-conference information acquisition with textual information presented during the conference. On the information effect, it enhances market reactions to textual information from managers. This paper sheds light on how multimedia can transform the process of communication with retail investors.

This paper extracts investor risk concern from the text of investormanagement communications and examines their impact on insider opportunistic sales. Utilizing data from listed companies holding online earnings communication conferences (OECCs) in China from 2007 to 2022, we find that heightened investor risk concern significantly curbs insider opportunistic sales, as manifested by reduced frequency and magnitude of such transactions. This governance effect of investor risk concern persists irrespective of motivation strength behind opportunistic sales. Further analysis reveals that the governance effect intensifies when investors exhibit superior information processing capabilities and when management’s risk statements better align with investor expectations. Notably, while mitigating opportunistic sales, elevated investor risk concern also significantly decreases the firm’s cost of equity capital. Our findings underscore the importance of fostering transparent and engaging investor-management communication in promoting effective corporate governance and mitigating insider misconduct.