A new cyber-communication scenario: eSports coverage on public broadcasters in Europe

Authors

  • César Fieiras Ceide Universidad de Santiago de Compostela
  • Miguel Túñez López Universidad de Santiago de Compostela
  • Isaac Maroto González Universidad de Santiago de Compostela https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1269-6773

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2022-1782

Keywords:

e-sports; cyber sports; public service media; broadcasting; journalism; innovation; social media; internet.

Abstract

Introduction: The research examines the coverage of e-sports by European public broadcasters, paying special attention to their main contents, formats produced, size and structure of the working teams, professional routines and profiles, distribution channels and strategies, as well as the forecasts and future challenges expected in the sector. Methodology: An online monitoring of the activity of public service media (PSM) with respect to e-sports is carried out and 16 of these corporations are contacted to determine the intentional sample of relevant cases. Based on their contributions, we decided to carry out semi-structured in-depth interviews using the Delphi method with the heads of the RTP Arena, Yle eSports and SVT eSports projects, as well as a descriptive analysis with horizontal and vertical reading of their platforms, most representative contents and social networks. Results. Two blocks are identified within the PSM: one group of corporations that include e-sports in their media agenda, limiting their activity to news coverage; and another one in which they introduce e-sports in their programming and generate ad hoc platforms for contact with new, younger audiences. Overall, a progressive migration of public television channels towards third-party platforms and social media, with benefits in terms of technology, interactivity and interconnectivity, can be detected. Discussion and conclusions. The growing interest of public broadcasters in e-sports clashes with the difficulty of hiring new professionals to promote these services, and with the uncertainty of determining who will take on these new functions. The technical and narrative quality of the content remains on an ascending scale, and the user communities generated around it are constantly being enriched in qualitative and quantitative terms. 

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Author Biographies

César Fieiras Ceide, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela

Predoctoral researcher in the 'Novos Medios' group of the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela.César Fieiras Ceide is a predoctoral researcher at the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela. He has a master's degree in Journalism and Multimedia Communication (USC, 2021) and a degree in Journalism and Audiovisual Communication (USC, 2020). His field of research is linked to the European public media, paying special attention to their artificial intelligence and innovation p roposals. He has also worked and published on the impact of AI in education and media in the European context. cesar.fieiras@rai.usc.es

Índice H: 4

Orcid ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5606-3236

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.es/citations?user=a9slveEAAAAJ&hl=es&oi=ao

ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Cesar-Fieiras-Ceide

Academia.edu: https://novosmedios.academia.edu/CFieirasCeide

Miguel Túñez López, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela

Researcher of the “Novos Medios” group of the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela.

Miguel Túñez is a professor of communication management. He is co-Head Researcher in the research project RTI2018-096065-B-I00 of the AEI and (FEDER) on "New values, governance, financing, and public audiovisual services for the Internet society: European and Spanish contrasts". Director of the RTVE-USC Institutional Chair on Public Service Media in Europe. His research focuses on publicly owned media and the impact of artificial intelligence on communication and journalism. miguel.tunez@usc.es

Índice H: 26

Orcid ID: https://orcid.org/ 0000-0002-5036-9143

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.es/citations?user=fGFou0MAAAAJ&hl=es&oi=ao

ResearchGate:   https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Miguel-Tunez-Lopez-2

Isaac Maroto González, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela

Predoctoral researcher in the 'Novos Medios' group of the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela.

Isaac Maroto González is an advertising creative and researcher. He is currently a beneficiary of a predoctoral research contract grant for the training of doctors in 2019 (ref.PRE2019-090667) and has also received a scholarship within the IACOBUS program at the University of Minho. He is part of the Novos Medios group in the Department of Communication Sciences at the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela (USC), has a degree in Advertising and Public Relations from the Universidad de Valla- dolid, and a Master's degree in Film, television, and interactive media from the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. His main lines of research focus on the analysis of communicative ecosystems that arise in the media within the interactive and digital context.

isaac.maroto.gonzalez@usc.es

Orcid ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1269-6773

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.es/citations?user=oK0VALsAAAAJ&hl=es&oi=ao

Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57273260800

Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Isaac-Gonzalez-8

Academia: https://usc-es.academia.edu/IsaacMaroto

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Published

2022-07-28

How to Cite

Fieiras Ceide, C., Túñez López, M., & Maroto González, I. (2022). A new cyber-communication scenario: eSports coverage on public broadcasters in Europe . Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, (80), 88–113. https://doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2022-1782

Issue

Section

Comunicación lúdica, videojuegos y gamificación