Media Issues - Research Paper Example

Name Media Issues Research Course Date Media Issues Research Introduction Recently, social media (Web 2.0) has been progressively utilized by televisions as an opening to connect with their audiences as well as to develop communities with their viewers. Twitter which is a micro-blogging platform is one of the new media that has turned out to be among popular social media platforms used by televisions. Twitter is a social network platform where users communicate through ‘tweets’ and has become a progressively element in the media setting (Bruns, Highfield & Harrington, 2013). This paper focuses on analyzing the use of Twitter by Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Television which is a public television. The relevance of this research relates to the transformation of television with the emergence of new media; social media. The analysis of broad literature and ABC television tweets will aid in understanding how ABC television use Twitter and if Twitter can be utilized as a public service medium that serves the objectives and values of public service communication (Stiernsted, 2011). With the rising rate at which customary media channels are using social media platforms such as Twitter, it is necessary to understand the dynamics and connotations of social media networks such as Twitter to find out if the new media can be integrated in the traditional media services and have their services legitimized. This paper aims to find out how ABC, a public Australian television channel uses Twitter and to establish if Twitter can be a valuable tool for public services (Bradley, Julia & Wood, 2012). Additionally, this research paper seeks to find out how traditional media is adopting and using new technologies to broaden their reach towards their audiences. Social media software can be categorized to in mode of usage where it is possible to create the content, edit it and comment; it is possible for users to share content and lastly the software offers features that can filter unwanted information. The modes of usage are interconnected. These are some of the unique features of social network that create framework for carrying out analysis on television channels such as ABC Television to address research questions (Stiernsted, 2011). Literature Review In the recent times, Web 2.0 (social media networks) like Twitter have grown considerably a big number of people use them every now and then (Bonini & Sellas, 2014). According to Bonini & Sellas (2014), Web 2.0 enables users to create public or semi-public profiles in a bounded structure and view and transverse connections in the system. Twitter is among the most popular micro-blogging podiums where users publish information and shares it with other users. Twitter integrates aspects of blogging, the propinquity of immediate messaging, the connections of Web 2.0, in additional to a simple integration with phones. Twitter enables people to share and consume enormous information, it is very flexible and its real-time aspect produces a dynamic atmosphere to share content (Roscoe, 2004). Bonini & Sellas (2014) argues that even though social media such as Twitter were primarily created to connect and share with friends, social media has evolved into a powerful to communicate and access news. Simultaneously, traditional media outlets such as televisions are exploring news means to communicate with their audiences and social media is being perceived as an development of the public specialty, where users change dynamics of publishing and disseminating information. In this regard, social reference turns out to be a major aspect for users who value the content they get from their trusted social network site. Social media platforms such as twitter offer a dynamic and hybrid atmosphere, with mass media and journalists to share content, time and space as well. The flow of information that is real time provides users with constant notifications on current news and this enables people to determine and maintain a mindset on current affairs and happenings around them (Roscoe, 2004). Deller (2011) affirms this by arguing that one of the ways that Twitter came into the limelight was through its involvement in determining news outline. Current news and stories are often discussed on Twitter and due to its worldwide reach and immediate nature; it is possible to circulate the news and links to uncountable users within a very short time. For instance, during Iranian general elections in 2009, the news regarding the election, were all over the world through Twitter. Similarly, criticism regarding US president Barack Obama’s health reforms was actively done on Twitter (Deller, 2011). The Guardian Newspaper also reported and spread news about company’s oil waste discharge practices and Twitter ensured that the news were spread all over and eventually made the headlines in major media outlets. Such news and many more featured within major news outlets, mostly due to the upsurge from Twitter audience. This is because of the high profile of Twitter in the news media as well as the accessibility of information on Twitter using hash-tags and trending topics (Bradley, Julia & Wood, 2012). As Boches (2014) suggests, the instant audience in Twitter which is not only available for other viewers but also broadcasters offers potentially very rich stream of information. The information stream provides an important opportunity for broadcasters seeking to understand the procedures of television ‘audiencing’, as well as more convectional strategies to audience dimension. The in-depth, constant, qualitative as well as quantitative information present to television broadcasting channels in form of tweets provides a foundation for an evaluation and understanding of activities of the audience (Deller & Hallam, 2011). The opportunities provided by the tweets for television include the ability to keep track of the entire Twitter activity which offers a view regarding the reaction of the audience to television topics and programs as well as illustration of the users’ activities. Such evaluations can also be utilized in exploring the reactions of candidates to television shows and televised political debates. Additionally, the key contributions to Twitter debates can be established and the key followers can be exploited to promote the shows further (Bradley, Julia & Wood, 2012). Still, qualitative examination of major themes and subjects of discussion when the television shows and programs are ongoing and offer vital feedback regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the shows and programs to gather information how the audience feels about the specific programs in the television. Such evaluations can also be valuably integrated with traditional television audience ratings as well as opinion analysis tools. Combination of these tools can enable television channels to understand their audiences in a progressively converged media setting. They consist of audience research tools necessary for platform trans-media content (Deller & Hallam, 2011). There are numerous studies examining Web 2.0 (social network sites) and television. For instance, a study carried out on content analysis of Australian television channels’ activities on Twitter established that the number of tweets almost correlated the number of television channels’ followers (Bruns, Highfield & Harrington, 2013). Audiences normally tweet what they see and hence television programs can integrate the views of the users. Basically, television producers can influence the Twitter conversations and integrate the tweets back into the programs. In this manner, Twitter can become a backchannel of the specific television programs as well as an aspect of the programs themselves. For example, Sunrise which is an ABC breakfast television program normally incorporates the views of the viewers as well as the feedback mined from social media (Stiernsted, 2011). Such television shows normally ask followers on Twitter to give their views regarding daily news topics and programs via their official Twitter account. This is the same manner the ABC’s live talk show whose main focus is on political topics, informs the followers to use the hash tag and also encourages the best and most incisive tweets through displaying the ‘best’ tweets at the bottom of the television screen. These are some of the undertakings that ensure that television is extremely interactive experience different from the convectional broadcast model (Deller & Hallam, 2011). As Bruns, Highfield & Harrington (2013) explain, the rising Twitter usage together with television brings a new aspect in regard to television audience. This is because Twitter offers a new channel where conversations can take place and this changes the television itself. Twitter enhances television watching and also benefits the live broadcasting because through Twitter the collection of a social media platform like Twitter provides a means to discuss what is being broadcasted (Sara, 2014). Normally, it is not necessary for the transmedia content to be live in order to utilize various media channels and platforms and hence Twitter can play a significant role in regard to following on discussion of television programs. Twitter can also be utilized for instance in maintaining television programs impetus in between tabloid screening. In addition, Twitter can be utilized in sustaining a community of fan s and in facilitating their interactions with the television program producers and also to ensure there are further interactions during programs presentations or news broadcasting (Sara, 2014). Methodology The methodology included visiting the Twitter profile of ABC television as well as reviewing the existing literature from various sources which included books, journal articles and databases. Content analysis of the tweets on ABC Twitter profile was used as the primary tool for analysis. Data was collected from tweets published by ABC television Twitter profile from January 2014 to April 2014. A week period was chosen as the sampling format since it represents the week programming schedule of ABC television. No major event that took place between January and April that could have had an impact of the way ABC normally uses its Twitter profile. The flow of ABC tweets was analyzed as well as how ABC television responds to the tweets and comments of its followers (Bruns, Highfield & Harrington, 2013). The reviewed literature was restricted to sources that had information allied to ABC television, social media platforms, Twitter and television broadcasting. Key words were used during online search and evaluation of bibliography of the relevant articles and website and database searches. The inclusion and exclusion criteria included only considering sources that addressed the topic on Twitter as a Television broadcasting platform in one way or another (Roscoe, 2004). The main focus was the articles that provided definitive primary data as well as systematic reviews to establish if the articles had any additional information. All articles that did not meet exclusion criteria were excluded (Stiernsted, 2011). Results The main aims of ABC television’s being on twitter include; informing the viewers regarding the television program and the subject of the programs and encouraging the viewers to visit the embedded link. The information flow from ABC’s Twitter profile is mostly oriented to it which means that communication between ABC and its followers on Twitter is mainly self-referential. Tweets from ABC television have a lot of additional content to enable the channel to encourage the viewers to consume its contents. The channel provides numerous links in its tweets to push the traffic towards its official website (Bruns, Highfield & Harrington, 2013). Strategies that ABC television uses are broadcast-orients and self-referential in content as well but not participative. ABC uses Twitter as another channel for distribution and to encourage followers to visit its official website because it perceives Twitter as a platform to inform viewers regarding the contents that it provides and to drive viewers to consume its produced contents. The links and materials that ABC television publishes on Twitter indicate a lack of fluent conversation on twitter (Marc, 2014). Basically, the use of Twitter by the channel is very poor, owing to the possibilities that a hypermedia channel such as Twitter presents. A suitable reference frame that includes information regarding the channel’s program can impact the users positively and most of the ABC tweets included offering viewers with the appropriate frame of orientation for its contents. However, the channel’s twitter profile has effectively framed the viewing experience of its followers by reminding the followers before the onset of its programs regarding what will be presented in the programs, reporting in real-time what they are presenting, the emergence of various perspectives, the guests in the show as well as tweeting educative materials (Bradley, Julia & Wood, 2012). Discussion From the results, ABC spends most of its tweets framing the experience of the viewers and utilizing twitter to discuss it content. Good framing of television content on twitter can therefore assist ABC television in converting its follower into viewers. Framing content using referential and conative messages is an important undertaking on Twitter. However, it can only be possible in transforming Twitter into a public service medium if television channels such as ABC engage with its viewers and begin claiming for its participation and improving its interaction with its viewers on television and on Twitter as well (Bruns, Highfield & Harrington, 2013). Twitter can be used to build audience and also by serving the viewers, connecting viewers with each other and allowing the viewers join the conversation and be part of the Twitter platform (Bradley, Julia & Wood, 2012). ABC television performed extremely well in broadcasting its content although it was not effective in engaging with its publics. ABC does not let its followers join the conversation since what it plays on the stage of Twitter is in most cases monologue. ABC television is very effective in framing high quality content which is normally informative, educative and entertaining as well but the research shows that ABC is not very good at listening to the views of its audiences. According to the research, ABC normally uses social media platforms such as Twitter in promoting the channel. Using Twitter as a promotional tool cannot be the sole use of Twitter for television channels such as ABC (Musil, 2009). The strategies that ABC puts emphasis on include viewing and broadcasting its content. On the other hand, social media strategists such as Twitter include managing the relationship with community of viewers who give importance in engaging with their contents and brand. Therefore, unlike ABC television, social media strategists are well aware of the role of public service media. Therefore, ABC television as a public medium should give its importance to where its viewers are and get an audience for its content (Musil, 2009). ABC should always try to utilize social media platforms such as twitter not just in promoting its content but as well as in perceiving Twitter as a new channel to interact with its audience. But according to this research, ABC television on Twitter normally broadcasts but does not really listen to its followers and improve participatory practices (Bradley, Julia & Wood, 2012). ABC television should thus improve its participatory practices on Twitter by retweeting, replying and commenting on its viewer’s posts and messages because this means the television channel will be accepting people’s voices on the certified platform of the channel. ABC should also make the views and ideas of its followers public, extract the entrenched value in regard to user-generated contents to be incorporated within the television flow (Marc, 2014). Since from the reviewed literature ABC social media managers are not perceived highly as other employees, valuing them as strategically employees can improve the channel interactions within the social media and in this case Twitter. For instance, their salaries are relatively lower when compared to that of news anchors and producers even though the social media managers also manage more social media profiles (Marc, 2014). Probably increasing their salaries can considerably improve the services. The relatively low pays for the social media managers might be contributing to the poor performance of ABC television in connecting with its viewers on Twitter. ABC should focus on encouraging the social media managers in bringing traffic to Twitter and spending time in coming up with creative strategies to engage with the viewers (Deller & Hallam, 2011). For Twitter to be a public service medium it should be deemed as a platform where people can meet and connect. Therefore, ABC television should give space to its viewers’ General Intellect, affect, their tweets, comments, views, ideas as well as giving importance to their criticism as this will help ABC television in connecting, foster and boding with its viewers. By ABC television maintaining a rich networked public, it will achieve this with the revamped function of public service in the networked society. This means that ABC television should contribute to create ties with its viewers as well as among the viewers and assist them in finding links to fascinating content and radiant Twitter profiles to inspire individuals (Stiernsted, 2011). Conclusion In conclusion, ABC television uses Twitter to broadcast the news as well as a self-referential feature but does not fully use Twitter as a modern public service medium. With the emergence of social media platforms such as Twitter, public service should mainly involve “participation”. The real value of integrating Twitter into television production practices is in the potential of Twitter to connect and not broadcast. According to the research results, ABC television has not fully utilized this value engrained in the Twitter networks. ABC television mainly uses Twitter as a promotion tool. The ABC television channel should implement more public service social media communication strategies that will incorporate more connective routines. In a nutshell, ABC television should change its traditional news broadcasting attitude to its viewers and with this it will benefit more from Twitter after understanding the significance of Twitter for public service television like ABC. Bibliography Bradley,F, Julia, K & Wood, E., 2012, Radio and Facebook: The relationship between broadcast and social media software in the U.S., Germany, and Singapore, First Monday, Vol. 17, (4 – 2). . Bruns, A, Highfield, T & Harrington S., 2013, More than a backchannel: Twitter and television, Journal of Audience and Reception Studies, Vol.10 (1). . Boches, E., 2014, Has Twitter Been Reduced to Just another Broadcast Platform? Social Media Today. . Bonini, T & Sellas, T., 2014, Twitter as a public service medium? A content analysis of the Twitter use made by Radio RAI and RNE, Communication & Society, Vol. 27, (2). . Deller, R & Hallam, S., 2011, Twittering on: Audience research and participation using Twitter, Journal of Audience and Reception Studies, Vol.8 (1). < http://www.participations.org/Volume%208/Issue%201/PDF/deller.pdf>. Marc, S., 2014, Mapping Twitter Topic Networks: From Polarized Crowds to Community Clusters. < http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/02/20/mapping-twitter-topic-networksfrom-polarized-crowds-to-community-clusters/>. Musil, S., 2009, Week in review: Twittering for Tehran’, cnet News, . Roscoe, J., 2004, Multi-Platform Event Television: Reconceptualizing our Relationship with Television, The Communication Review, 7, pp. 363-369. Sara, G., 2014, Redefining Public Service Broadcasting: Multi-Platform Participation, Sage Journals, Vol. 20 (2). Stiernsted, R., 2011, Announcing in multiplatform broadcasting: self-referentiality, buzz and eventfulness in a commercial music format, Radio Leuturas, Vol. 1(10). . Read More