The Streaming Service Effect During the Pandemic: A Study of Altered Viewing Habits

Date

2021-08

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

MAPC, The University of Tampa

Abstract

Audiences find themselves in a time where they have all the content in the world to consume and are learning what they like individually because of the circumstances we faced in the last year and based on our social identity. Studying this change in viewing habits can help reveal who audiences are today, how they have been shaped, and where they’re headed. It’s vital to understand how the medium controls the message so we can learn how our views are being changed. This study looks at T.V. viewing habits through the method of autoethnography by looking at a viewing history during the pandemic and the events that were happening in the real world at the same time. Using this form of research will help give insight into how a real viewer’s television habits were changed during the pandemic and future implications of viewing habits, streaming services, and audience engagement. With this information, we can learn what audiences need and get out of television shows and how to access the appropriate content accordingly. The pandemic evolved television shows and original series into a form of companionship, self-care, and a coping mechanism during hard times. When the audience can recognize what they not only want to see but what they need to see then viewers can call for a new medium where they choose the message.

Description

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Keywords

Social Identity Theory, Uses and Gratifications Theory, Binge-watching, Television

Citation

DOI

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