TV in convergent media environments

Digitalization and mobilization is changing our traditional media usage massively and particularly the area of TV and video content is facing a media (r)evolution within the convergent media environments: The innovation of devices such as smartphones and tablets, services such as Video on Demand, and global players such as YouTube and Netflix are changing the way recipients watch video content, either professionally produced or user generated. Not only that the time spend watching is increasing but also usage situations are changing: Watching TV or other video content anywhere, anytime is possible today and particularly younger users are turning away from traditional TV screens.

This change affects a broad range of academic sciences as well as industries. This PhD project aims at combining two different angles and focuses on the impact within communication and media studies and the TV/broadcasting industry. On the one hand established media usage and effect theories and concepts can’t be translated easily for the digital and convergent media environments. The role of (traditional) TV has definitely changed and therefore also media specific usage motives. On the other hand, the lack of knowledge about new usage behaviors hinders the TV industry to place and market video content across devices and platforms according to new usage situations and thus limits successful digital strategies to maximize the TV value chain.

The objective of this research is to twofold: First, it should support and enrich new concepts of TV usage across devices and explore and suggest a classification of prototypical usage situations of TV content. Hasebrink’s concept of communication modes is used as theoretical framework for this objective. Second, it aims at identifying relevant factors that impact the use of TV content across devices and that trigger screen-specific usage situations. Früh’s triadic-dynamic entertainment theory is adapted for this second objective. Results will be relevant for communication and media studies to support theory building and for the TV industry to give evidence about how content should be distributed.

This research focuses on professionally produced information programs and sitcoms, applying a two-step research approach. Qualitative interviews will be used to explore usage situations for both forms of video content across devices and to identify factors that describe these usage situations. Quantitative online interviews will be conducted to validate the qualitative findings and to quantify relevant factors that trigger new screen-specific modes of usage that are most relevant for users.