A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to support the operation of a Virtual Media Room or Virtual Meeting Room (VMR), wherein each VMR can accept from a plurality of participants at different geographic locations a variety of video conferencing feeds of audio and video streams from video conference endpoints. The approach provides collaborative viewing of an event through the VMR so that the participants at geographically distributed locations are able to simultaneously participate and share the experience of the event together. An initiating participant of the event sharing is further offered with in-meeting management and control over the content to be shared at the event. A globally distributed infrastructure supports the sharing of the event among the participants at geographically distributed locations through a plurality of MCUs (Multipoint Control Unit), each configured to process the plurality of audio and video streams from the plurality of video conference endpoints in real time.