This paper, co-written with Professor Paul Booth at DePaul University in Chicago, explores an old TV show being watched in a new way.
In 2018 and 2019, the streaming platform Twitch broadcast episodes of Doctor Who, originally broadcast between 1963 and 1989, as-live to a new audience. More familiar as a way of players streaming video games, Twitch does not allow people to pause or go back, but does have a simultaneous chat function where viewers can share their thoughts.
We examined this new form of watching, and the ways it allowed multiple generations of fans to share the live experience, have new types of interactions, and share content such as memes.
By examining such examples of new technology platforms, we can see how their features and affordances interact with the way users experience them. This may be important in the future when considering the design of such systems and the policies associated with how they are used.
The full paper is available here.
Naomi Jacobs