Interactive Television Format Development â Could Participatory ...
Interactive Television Format Development –
Could Participatory Design Bridge the Gap?
Skylla J. Janssen
INHolland University
Wildenborch 6
1112 XB Amsterdam/Diemen
+31 (0)20 - 495 11 11
skylla.janssen@inholland.nl
ABSTRACT
1. INTRODUCTION
This paper presents the results of an exploratory study, part of my
Participatory design pioneered in a political context, as a part of
Ph.D., focusing on ‘viewer empowerment’ in the audiovisual
the workplace democracy movement in Scandinavia [3]. It
industry due to digitization and the emerging ‘architecture of
represents an approach towards computer systems design in which
participation’ [1] of Web2.0. In the ‘traditional’ broadcasting
strategies and techniques were used that gave workers influence
industry there are boundaries between the media professional and
on the design and use of computer applications at the workplace.
the non-professional (the audience) [2]. Web2.0 offers
It is a set of theories, practices, and studies related to end-users
citizens/consumers the opportunity to create, distribute, share and
who are invited as full participants to play a critical role in the
publish all sorts of content (text, images, video, audio) via the
design process. This is done in order to help ensure that the
internet. These changes in media consumption practices have
product or system meets their needs because they are the ones that
consequences for the broadcasting industry and poses the question
will have to use it. Participatory design is now used in a variety of
whether the traditional broadcasting industry is willing to adjust to
fields including architecture, graphic design and software
this changing role of the viewer and open up to (inter)active non-
engineering. It can be seen as a move of end-users into the world
professionals. The conclusion described, results from two
of developers and researchers.
preliminary studies that were meant to gain insight in a) ideas
amongst internet and broadcasting specialists regarding viewer
In the media industry something similar is happening now,
empowerment in interactive television formats and development
however the invitation to participate in the development of media
and b) the current internet and interactive television usage in the
content is not specifically initiated by industry professionals. It
greater Noord-Holland region. The studies indicate that internet
stems from the activities of the end-users themselves. The
and broadcasting professionals differ in the way they value end-
distinction between end-users and producers of media content is
user participation. However they have rather traditional ideas
decreasing due to the availability of semi professional equipment
about making television. The different generations of end-users
like digital photo and video camera’s, easy to use software for
(e.g. ‘digital natives’, the younger people) have different needs;
editing sound, images and video and the creation of web pages
the audience changes. The use of participatory design could be an
combined with Web2.0 possibilities. The power of so called
instrument for the broadcasting industry to bridge the gap.
Web2.0 applications lies in aggregating the intelligence, the time,
the efforts, the distribution and publishing facilities of users and
Categories and Subject Descriptors
maximizing the network effect [1]. It gives citizens/consumers the
opportunity to create, distribute, share and publish all sorts of
H.5.m [Information Interfaces and Presentation (e.g. HCI)]:
content (text, images, video, audio) via the internet.
Miscellaneous.
General Terms
Due to this opportunity media participation is happening on a
large scale. In the music industry the website My Space is filled
Design, Economics, Human Factors
with songs and lyrics of both professionals and amateurs.
Keywords
YouTube offers everyone the possibility to publish all sorts of
Participatory design, Web2.0, interactive television format
audiovisual material. There is hardly an entrance barrier. This
development, end-user participation, broadcasting industry
shift in opportunities has resulted in the so called prosumer, - that
is the consumer in the role of producer - [4, 5]. More and more
companies are aware of this shift in behavior from consumer to
Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for
producer and are open to co-design. In this respect Leadbeater
personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are
talks about the with economy instead of the to- economy [6]. In the
not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies
with economy so-called pro-ams (professional amateurs) can work
bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. To copy otherwise,
together with manufacturers and be creative and productive and
or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior
have influence on the design of product and services. This in
specific permission and/or a fee.
contrast to the to- economy where the manufacturer is creating
EuroITV’09, June 3–5, 2009, Leuven, Belgium.
products and services for the market instead of with the market.
Copyright 2009 ACM 978-1-60558-340-2/09/06...$5.00.
Despite these changes in the media industry, the broadcasting
The convergence of broadcasting and digital media leads to cross
industry seems a bit reluctant to invite their audiences to
media formats and other types of hybrid output. Syvertsen uses
participate. In the broadcasting industry format development is
the term multi-platform media hybrids [14, 15]. Hybrid media can
considered to be the work of media professionals with expert
combine features from broadcasting with features from digital,
skills. Nick Couldry describes the symbolic power of broadcast
personal and mobile media. The viewer can choose from different
institutions that is based on the boundaries between professional
platforms and devices to interact with content; all fit within the
media people and non-professional, ordinary, people [2]. To find
scope of this study.
out if this barrier still exists, in a preliminary study differences
and resemblances between internet and broadcasting specialists in
3. METHODOLOGY
valuing interactivity and end-user participation where examined.
In The Netherlands interactive television has been a promise for
In the other preliminary study the usage and appreciation of
many years. Still, the offer of interactive television formats is
interactivity via internet and interactive television by end-users
limited. I have been looking for explanations taking into account
was subject of research. The results of both studies led to this
the position of the media professionals as well as the end-user’s
paper in which the combination of usage of participatory design
point of view. Two preliminary studies provided me with an
within interactive audiovisual format development is considered.
exploration of issues related to the development of interactive
Empirical research on this topic is still scarce.
television formats and what the limiting barriers are.
2. MEDIA PARTICIPATION
Study 1: For finding out how professionals in the field of internet
Although on the internet prosumers [4] are finding their way, the
and broadcasting value end-user participation, 14 in-depth
traditional broadcasting industry seems somehow reluctant to
interviews were conducted. These professionals were selected
work with audience contribution. The television industry is a
based upon their position in the industry. The selected
traditionally closed and regulated domain [7, 8]. The possibilities
professionals work for television production companies, a
for the public to get access to the television screen are influenced
broadcaster, advertisers, marketing and communication agencies
by issues like gate keeping, programming and genre and the
and internet agencies. They fulfill positions like owner, director,
regulation of audience contributions is seen as a professional
producer, project leader, consultant, and marketing manager. I
competence in media production [9, 10]. This means the
conducted one and a half hour-long, semi-structured interviews in
television program maker decides what input of the public he or
the participant’s working environment. As for the media
she uses in the program or show. Gunn Sara Enli studied these
professionals, findings concentrate on the professional ideology,
strategies used for the participatory turn in broadcast television
working routines, business models, the valuation of user
since the early years of the 21st century [11]. The involvement of
participation, the changing role of the consumer and the way it
the public is often scripted participation [12]. However now that
influences the industry.
young people increasingly prefer interaction and participation and
spend an increasing amount of time online [4, 13], the traditional
Study 2: In order to explore the development in internet and
broadcasters are challenged how to respond to the possibilities
interactive television usage and appreciation, I conducted three
provided by digital platforms or how to use them themselves. This
surveys at different points in time amongst television viewers and
shift in media behavior of the viewer causes broadcasters and
internet users in the greater Noord-Holland region. The data come
advertisers to rethink their relationship with the public.
from three quota samples of respectively 1408 respondents (spring
Circumstances show that viewers zap the commercials or skip the
2006), 792 respondents (spring 2008) and 752 respondents (winter
commercials via the personal video recorder. Spending on
2008). Respondents were contacted by first year students of
Advertiser Funded Programming1 (in The Netherlands known as
Media- and Entertainment Management of INHolland University
Non-Spot or branded TV-content) has increased, especially
in Haarlem. The respondents questioned were internet users and
amongst commercial broadcasters. It breaks away from the
television viewers 16 – 50 years old with different educational
traditional model of television funding where ‘eyeballs’ are sold
levels and from various household backgrounds. Findings of the
by selling advertising around the actual television program.
survey are briefly presented in terms of the penetration of digital
Advertisers are looking for ways to enhance the relationship with
receivers in households, internet and interactive television usage
their target groups and realize that the former eyeballs show
of interactive television applications.
different media behavior.
The goal is to provide the broadcasting industry with better
2.1 The concept of interactive television
insights into changes in users’ media consumption and to address
This study is not about the definition of interactive television. The
the gap between the broadcasting industry and the ‘empowered
term interactive television is not exclusive for interactive content
viewers’.
viewed on a television set with the remote control as return path.
4. RESULTS
1 SPOT (Dutch knowledge center for television advertising) has
The findings of the in-depth interviews show that the gap as
defined the activities that belong to the non-spot market in order
described by Couldry still exists. In response to the question
to clarify the discussion about what is seen as non-spot.
whether the professionals saw a threat or an opportunity in the
Expenditures belonging to the non-spot market: all program
straightforward way channels with audiovisual (user generated)
branding activities, all in program price marketing activities,
content arise on the internet, most of the professionals stressed the
billboarding, cromo’s (commercial announcement of programs)
fact that ‘traditional’ lean back television will not disappear. They
and all production costs.
hold on to conventions that the social function and the leisure
function of viewing ‘traditional’ television via a broadcast
schedule remains important. People like to lean back after
human, creative and affective relationship between those involved
working hours and the reach of a channel on the internet would
in technology design and its use [17]. Practitioners in PD are
not be sufficient for a viable business model. Furthermore they
sharing the idea that people who are affected by a decision should
pointed out that making television is a profession that can not be
have an opportunity to influence it. It is a key element in
done by amateurs; the quality of user generated video content is
democracy. The other idea is that quality can improve with strong
often very poor. The media professionals - both from the internet
and effective participation of people involved. The combination of
as well as from the broadcasting field - see limited value in actual
diverse knowledge’s makes better services and products [17, 18].
participation of end-users when it comes to format development.
The dominant ideas of quality and productivity are broadened by
They do not rate the ideas of ordinary people high. However they
adding participation, another point of view. The representation is
do see the value of end-user interactivity when used as fore-
difficult in a discussion dominated by managerial and expert
mentioned scripted participation. They underline that interactivity
perspectives. Participatory design means that professionals and
can enhance the bonding with the audience. This is of interest
non-professionals become familiar with each other and their
from a marketing perspective. Especially the internet specialists
concerns or needs and wishes.
stress the fact that the dialogue with the end-user is very
Andrew Keen, author of ‘the Cult of the Amateur’, is against the
important; this may originate from the difference between mass
implications of web2.0 possibilities where amateurs (non-
media and personalized media. Another aspect mentioned is the
professionals) are creating and publishing all sorts of content [19].
economical value of end-user participation. The interactivity via
He sees the media professional as an endangered species due to
text messages via mobile phones provides an interesting revenue
the facilities that ordinary men have today thanks to affordable
stream for the industry.
semi professional equipment and the internet. In his view this is
The results from the surveys show that the number of digital
undesirable. As the traditional media gatekeepers lose their power,
television receivers in households is growing rapidly. At the end
the quality of the cultural production is threatened by amateurs
of 2008 over 50 percent of the respondents report they have a
and the digital revolution undermines the economic exchange
digital receiver at home. The digitization of households is
value of a copy resulting in a shrinking cultural economy [20].
continuing and has stretched from internet connections to digital
Back in 1993, Schuler and Namioka stated that participation
television subscriptions. However when it comes to usage and
stands in contrast to ‘the cult of the specialist’. They describe that
appreciation of internet and interactive television activities, there
in the specialist model an expert is consulted to answer a certain
is a difference between generations. Digital natives or the ‘net
question. With this approach, the ones most affected by the
generation’ are young people that grew up with new media [16]
conclusion must sit idly by, waiting patiently for the answer [21].
and they perform other media behavior than the older generations.
They use new media as a communication, social and entertaining
It is important to note that participatory design is not against
service whereas for older people the information service is more
expertise. In the participation model the specialist expertise
important. The digital natives could serve as predictors of future
becomes yet another resource to draw on. As a matter of fact
media behavior of the broader population.
participatory design underlines the importance of expertise, but
this time expertise is not dictated by profession. In participatory
5. CONCLUSION
design the end-users are viewed as experts on the process and the
result. To find out whether participatory design could be used as
Only very recently the traditional broadcasting industry seemed to
an instrument to bridge the gap between the internet and
notice this behavioral change in their audience. However despite
broadcasting domain and between media professionals and non-
multi-platform media formats of Dutch public broadcasters like
‘Landroof’ (VPRO), ‘Wij zijn de geschiedenis’ (KRO) and
professionals, I will use the design described below. By taking a
‘Blikvoer’ (VARA) where audience contributions are welcomed,
close look at techniques and practices of participatory design the
set up of the design will be clarified. The important issue is the
based on the findings from the preliminary studies it seems
attitude of the media professional and the will to collaborate.
unlikely that the barriers between media professionals and non-
professionals will level automatically. On a more general level we
5.2 The design
see the same conservative reaction as within other entertainment
In order to study the impact of involving professional amateurs in
industries confronted with digitization and user generated content,
the development of interactive audiovisual formats, the first step
just think of the music industry. To bridge the gap between the
is to find a professional media partner who is willing to cooperate.
traditional broadcasting industry and the internet domain where
The research item is a special interest format that could be
Web2.0 is showing new horizons, it is important to look for
developed for broadcast television or a WebTV channel. For the
methods that can be of help. Based on the findings I concluded
participatory design committed participants are needed. The non-
that using participatory design within the broadcasting industry
professionals can bring valuable experiences or knowledge
may be that method. The method fits within ‘der Zeitgeist’ where
because they are practitioners of a certain hobby or have specific
collective intelligence is used for the development of products and
interests. Traditional techniques will be used. The first step
services. The aim is to try a different approach in a (still) rather
involves story-collecting and story-telling by means of end-user
traditional industry.
photography. Photography can be easily incorporated in daily
routines. Discussion around photographs and the combination of
5.1 Why participatory design?
photo-narratives can lead to mutual learning and new ideas [22].
These effects will be stronger if combined with the voices of the
Participatory design is less characterized by a single theory or
photographers, the viewers and the people depicted in the
technique, than by a rich and diverse set of perspectives and
photographs [23]. The result will be used for agenda setting and
experiences that despite their differences share a distinctive spirit
prioritizing of topics. In step two, professionals and non-
and direction. That spirit and direction is characterized by a more
professionals enter into each others world in order to participate.
The site of the work is of interest for the collaboration. Non-
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