Periodismo en Twitch: análisis exploratorio de las primeras iniciativas informativas

Roberto González-López; María-Cruz Negreira-Rey; Jorge Vázquez-Herrero

doi:10.26441/RC23.1-2024-3433

Authors

Roberto González-López Universidade de Santiago de Compostela https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7870-1937
María-Cruz Negreira-Rey Universidade de Santiago de Compostela https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8945-2641
Jorge Vázquez-Herrero Universidade de Santiago de Compostela https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9081-3018

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26441/RC23.1-2024-3433

Keywords:

Twitch, streaming, social media, journalism, journalist, information media, digital platforms, access to information, communication

Abstract

News media and journalists must adapt to emerging platforms in order to respond to changing news consumption habits. This article addresses the trend of Social Media Live Streaming on Twitch, a platform that has experienced significant growth since 2020. The research pursues the main objective of finding out how Spanish media and journalists are adapting to this platform and what possibilities it offers to the journalistic profession, in terms of business model as well as in communicative style, formats and relationship with the audience. An exploratory analysis made it possible to identify 55 channels and to establish, in the first phase of the research, two categories of study: channels driven by journalists –with a background in digital or legacy media– or by news media –digital natives or legacy ones–. In a second phase, seven representative cases were studied through content analysis of their profiles and streams, as well as interviews with the promoters. The results reflect an initial stage in the development of news initiatives on Twitch, characterized by experimentation and diversity of projects. In general, there is no great innovation in content and formats, which are based on conversation. There is a hybridization of information and entertainment in live broadcasts which, although providing rigorous information and featuring experts, maintain a relaxed tone and make use of humor. The relationship with the audience is built through the chat, a central element during broadcasts, and subscriptions from viewers, which are the main source of income for the channels.

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Author Biographies

Roberto González-López, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela

Graduate in Journalism and Audiovisual Communication from the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. He currently works as a journalist at Corporación Radio e Televisión de Galicia. His research focuses on journalism and social media. https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7870-1937, roberto.gonzalez.lopez@rai.usc.es

María-Cruz Negreira-Rey, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela

PhD in Communication. Assistant Professor at the Department of Communication Sciences, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. She is a member of Novos Medios research group. Her line of research focuses on the influence of social media in journalism, as well as local and hyperlocal journalism. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8945-2641, cruz.negreira@usc.es

Jorge Vázquez-Herrero, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela

PhD in Communication. Associate Professor at the Department of Communication Sciences, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. He is a member of Novos Medios research group and the Latin American Chair of Transmedia Narratives (ICLA-UNR). His research addresses the impact of technologies and platforms on digital journalism and narratives. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9081-3018, jorge.vazquez@usc.es

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