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Tweeting television : exploring communication activities on twitter while watching TV
Publikationstyp
Journal Article
Date Issued
2014-06
Sprache
English
Volume
39
Issue
2
Start Page
129
End Page
149
Citation
Communications 39 (2): 129-159 (2014)
Publisher DOI
Scopus ID
"Social TV", described as the use of social media such as Twitter or Facebook stimulated by TV programs, is highly topical in the television industry. Communication research has fallen behind in addressing this issue. In this paper we explore the simultaneous communication activities of Twitter users while watching TV. Additionally, we tested whether different TV programs stimulate different communication activities. The main findings of our quantitative content analysis of approximately 30,000 messages show that communication within the Twitter community as well as evaluations of shows and actors are the main subjects of the explored tweets. We also found that different TV programs evoke different communication activities. While talent shows produce expressions of fandom and critiques of the candidates in the show, live events evoke a critical debate about the show itself and what's happening on screen. Political talk shows can stimulate a public discourse.
Subjects
Communication activities
Content analysis
Social TV
Television
Twitter
DDC Class
020: Library and Information Sciences
300: Social Sciences
070: Journalism and Publishing