Friends and feelings: the appropriation of Facebook by Irish radio stations to enhance audience engagement through affective media experiences

Conference Presentation


McMahon, D. 2016. Friends and feelings: the appropriation of Facebook by Irish radio stations to enhance audience engagement through affective media experiences. Lund University and University of Westminster.
AuthorsMcMahon, D.
TypeConference Presentation
Abstract

Radio audiences have become increasingly interested in engaging with radio stations via social network sites (SNS), finding radio station Facebook pages as a source of information, entertainment and as a channel for audience participation. Meanwhile in an attempt to remain viable in an increasingly digital mediascape radio station management have appropriated Facebook and other SNSs to create a broader media experience for their audiences. This has involved moving radio stations beyond simple audio broadcasters to become digital media producers, adding visual and highly interactive dimensions to their arsenal. The adoption of Facebook by the Irish radio industry has been driven by commercial forces with station management engaging with audiences via Facebook to help grow online and on-air audience numbers with the goal of increasing revenue. Using the Irish radio industry as a case study this research found that some radio stations are more adept at engaging with their audiences than others. Those stations that employ the medium effectively are connecting with audiences on an emotional level, evoking feelings and instigating affective communication between users. The focus of this research resides at the nexus of radio industry trends, audience engagement experiences and radio production practices, all of which have changed as a result of the adoption of Facebook and other SNSs by the Irish radio industry. This research involved in-depth analysis of three radio stations including commercial and public service stations broadcasting to local, regional and national audiences. The methodology included analysis of Facebook page content, interviews with industry professionals and an audience survey of N=419 radio listeners/Facebook users. This research forms part of the author’s doctoral thesis which explores the social, economic and cultural implications of Facebook use by Irish radio stations and their audiences.

Radio audiences have become increasingly interested in engaging with radio stations via social network sites (SNS), finding radio station Facebook pages as a source of information, entertainment and as a channel for audience participation. Meanwhile in an attempt to remain viable in an increasingly digital mediascape radio station management have appropriated Facebook and other SNSs to create a broader media experience for their audiences. This has involved moving radio stations beyond simple audio broadcasters to become digital media producers, adding visual and highly interactive dimensions to their arsenal. The adoption of Facebook by the Irish radio industry has been driven by commercial forces with station management engaging with audiences via Facebook to help grow online and on-air audience numbers with the goal of increasing revenue.

Using the Irish radio industry as a case study this research found that some radio stations are more adept at engaging with their audiences than others. Those stations that employ the medium effectively are connecting with audiences on an emotional level, evoking feelings and instigating affective communication between users. The focus of this research resides at the nexus of radio industry trends, audience engagement experiences and radio production practices, all of which have changed as a result of the adoption of Facebook and other SNSs by the Irish radio industry.

This research involved in-depth analysis of three radio stations including commercial and public service stations broadcasting to local, regional and national audiences. The methodology included analysis of Facebook page content, interviews with industry professionals and an audience survey of N=419 radio listeners/Facebook users. This research forms part of the author’s doctoral thesis which explores the social, economic and cultural implications of Facebook use by Irish radio stations and their audiences.

KeywordsAudience experiences; emotion; engagement; affect; Facebook; Irish Radio
Year2016
PublisherLund University and University of Westminster
Web address (URL)http://hdl.handle.net/10545/620543
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
hdl:10545/620543
File
File Access Level
Open
File
File Access Level
Open
File
File Access Level
Open
Publication dates2016
Publication process dates
Deposited10 Oct 2016, 14:07
ContributorsUniversity of Derby
Permalink -

https://repository.derby.ac.uk/item/924x6/friends-and-feelings-the-appropriation-of-facebook-by-irish-radio-stations-to-enhance-audience-engagement-through-affective-media-experiences

Download files


File
DMcMahon - Media Engagement.pptx
File access level: Open

license_url
File access level: Open

license.txt
File access level: Open

  • 54
    total views
  • 16
    total downloads
  • 3
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Save the wave: RTÉ longwave 252 and the ageing Irish diaspora in the United Kingdom
McMahon, D. 2021. Save the wave: RTÉ longwave 252 and the ageing Irish diaspora in the United Kingdom. Interactions: Studies in Communication & Culture. 12 (1), pp. 79-93. https://doi.org/10.1386/iscc_00038_1
Telling Our Story: Sharing the Experiences of Irish Emigrants Through Film
McMahon, D. 2021. Telling Our Story: Sharing the Experiences of Irish Emigrants Through Film.
Beyond theoretical: integrating a live project brief into an interior design module
Jones, Rhiannon, Slabbert, Barend, McMahon, D. and Di Monte-Milner, Giovanna 2021. Beyond theoretical: integrating a live project brief into an interior design module. University of Derby.
Our Story: The Experiences of Mid-Century Irish Emigrants to the UK
McMahon, D. 2021. Our Story: The Experiences of Mid-Century Irish Emigrants to the UK.
DerbyVoice
McMahon, D. and Jones, R. 2021. DerbyVoice.
In Tune with the Listener: How Local Radio in Ireland has Maintained Audience Attention and Loyalty
McMahon, D. 2021. In Tune with the Listener: How Local Radio in Ireland has Maintained Audience Attention and Loyalty. Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies. 11 (3). https://doi.org/10.30935/ojcmt/11085
DerbyVoice - Creative Place-Making: The Arts in Society Voices 16th International Conference
Jones, Rhiannon and McMahon, D. 2021. DerbyVoice - Creative Place-Making: The Arts in Society Voices 16th International Conference. Common Ground Research Networks.
Civic LAB Symposium 2021
Jones, Rhiannon, Murden, Jade, McMahon, D. and Hawthorn, Matt 2021. Civic LAB Symposium 2021. University of Derby.
CivicLAB Symposium proceedings
Jones, Rhiannon, McMahon, D. and Murden, Jade 2021. CivicLAB Symposium proceedings. University of Derby.
Holding Their Own: How Line of Duty offers the BBC a competitive edge in an increasingly crowded mediascape
McMahon, D. 2021. Holding Their Own: How Line of Duty offers the BBC a competitive edge in an increasingly crowded mediascape.
Our Story: Forging Connections Through Oral History
McMahon, D. 2021. Our Story: Forging Connections Through Oral History.
Our Story: Preserving and Disseminating the Experiences of the Irish Diaspora in Derby
McMahon, D. 2021. Our Story: Preserving and Disseminating the Experiences of the Irish Diaspora in Derby.
Our Story on Screen: Understanding Immigration Through the Experiences of Others
McMahon, D. 2021. Our Story on Screen: Understanding Immigration Through the Experiences of Others.
A Trusted Voice: The Threat to Irish Local Radio News Journalism
McMahon, D. 2021. A Trusted Voice: The Threat to Irish Local Radio News Journalism. Future of Journalism Conference 2021 Cardiff University.
DerbyVoice - Creative Place-Making: CivicLAB: Symposium
Jones, Rhiannon and McMahon, D. 2021. DerbyVoice - Creative Place-Making: CivicLAB: Symposium. University of Derby.
Belong
McMahon, D. and O'Connor, Fred 2020. Belong.
Our Story: A History of the Irish in Derby
McMahon, D. 2020. Our Story: A History of the Irish in Derby.
Memories of our youth: the viral spread of radio station Facebook posts
McMahon, D. 2020. Memories of our youth: the viral spread of radio station Facebook posts. Westminster Papers in Communication & Culture. https://doi.org/10.16997/wpcc.320
Our Story: A History of the Irish in Derby (promo edit)
McMahon, D. 2019. Our Story: A History of the Irish in Derby (promo edit).
Informed & educated: when public service radio learns from the commercial radio sector
McMahon, D. 2019. Informed & educated: when public service radio learns from the commercial radio sector. VIEW Journal of European Television History & Culture. https://doi.org/10.18146/2213-0969.2019.jethc175
Opening up the debate: Irish radio, Facebook, and the creation of transnational cultural public spheres.
McMahon, D. 2018. Opening up the debate: Irish radio, Facebook, and the creation of transnational cultural public spheres. in: Transcript Verlag.
With a little help from my friends: The Irish radio industry's strategic appropriation of social network sites for commercial growth.
McMahon, D. 2017. With a little help from my friends: The Irish radio industry's strategic appropriation of social network sites for commercial growth. in: IGI Global.
Opening up the debate: the phenomenon of transnational cultural public spheres on Irish radio station Facebook pages
McMahon, D. 2016. Opening up the debate: the phenomenon of transnational cultural public spheres on Irish radio station Facebook pages. Transnational Radio Encounters.
William Melville: Eve of war
McMahon, D. and O'Connor, Fred 2015. William Melville: Eve of war.
Lusitania: Beneath the surface.
McMahon, D. and O'Connor, Fred 2014. Lusitania: Beneath the surface.
Radio 2.0: How Facebook is enhancing audience participation for Irish radio audiences.
McMahon, D. 2014. Radio 2.0: How Facebook is enhancing audience participation for Irish radio audiences. Academic Conferences and Publishing International.
William Melville: The Queen's detective.
McMahon, D. and O'Connor, Fred 2014. William Melville: The Queen's detective.