streamingsphere

This post marks the beginning of my bachelor’s thesis in television and multimedia production.

By breaking up a traditional thesis into blog posts I believe more people will be able to read my reflections on my chosen topic. As well as my bachelor production the StreamingSphere being distributed from this site in itself supports the ideas behind my statement and hypothesis: How live streaming gives the public broadcasting opportunities.

Introduction
Live streaming is available to millions as a growing majority of the public has internet bandwidth, in addition to advancing video and audio technologies. Each of these users can broadcast their own content to in theory thousands of viewers via the internet.

Although my interest for media, more specifically new media, continues to expand, I find myself spending less time in front of the traditional media platforms. I believe the younger generations are more picky: “What we want, when we want it”. A concept of content on demand. The internet largely satisfies this need and has gained an information distribution monopoly. It has become an outlet giving just about everyone a voice to say, mean and preach what they may desire. All available at your fingertips.

In my eyes most television content is still considered a more authentic and trustworthy source of information and news. You can see the moving pictures with your own eyes and make up your own opinion. Is seeing believing? In a fashion similar to traditional TV, video on the internet is therefore taking its ground. The YouTube bomb in 2005, giving everybody the ability to “Broadcast themselves”.

Programming
The traditional TV broadcaster (e.g. BBC, NRK) has to attempt to accommodate the content desires of millions of viewers. Their programming will never manage to truly interest everyone who has access to the channel. Interests vary, from common interests, perhaps domestic news, to more bizarre interests like bonsai tree trimming. The internet has already taken care of these special areas of interest, niches. Blogs and websites related to almost any specific interest you can imagine can be found, and many are vastly popular by their respective followers. My belief is that these niches will start delivering their own “TV-channels”.

Limitations
There are however some limitations to my hypothesis. With millions of voices to compete against it’s difficult to be noticed. There are also a number of instances that can deny the possibility to broadcast: Internet providers, state laws and regulations, intellectual property as well as hosting services.