Class Assignment

1. A look at how TV
Influence Live Streaming
By Luke McDonald

2. An Introduction to Twitch

3. An Introduction to Twitch
• Twitch was the first place that I saw an esports tournament. Even though it was small and
for a game that never made it into the list of the main esports.
• The feeling of excitement watching players play this game that I loved was amazing. It
made me crave that competition in other games, which lead me to so many other
established esports.
• Twitch is not only a place to watch esports but is to some degree a social media site as
well. Content creators can grow and get sponsorships just like Instagram and YouTube
creators/influencers.
•

4. Live Streaming’s Predecessor
Looking back at how TV led to the boom of live streaming.

5. Live Streaming’s Predecessor
• TV and Live Streaming’s core concepts are both virtually identical.
• Broadcasting something wirelessly to people in their homes.
• The Television Industry learned a very important part of engaging
their viewers. Connecting them to the content emotionally.
• Even to the point where the audience would formulate a Para-
social Relationship.
• Para-Social Relationships, are detrimental to the audience, but
extremely lucrative for the television industry.

6. Live Streaming’s Predecessor
• Para-Social relationships were
observed as early as 1950’s
according to Cynthia Vinney for
Thought.co
• “These results would suggest that
popularity is grounded in reflection
and judgement, and on viewers’
connecting the viewing experience
with personal experiences.” Kim, J. &
Sintas, J.

7. The Way that Live Streaming has Changed
Popular Culture

8. The Way that Live Streaming has Changed
Popular Culture
• Live Streaming especially on Twitch typically relies heavily on
audience participation and engagement.
• Instead of only being able to look and comment after the even
happened, the viewer gets to be there during the moment. this
deepens the connection between streamer and fan.
• This is one of the ways that streaming outshines traditional
television.

9. The Way that Live Streaming has Changed
Popular Culture

10. The Way that Live Streaming has Changed
Popular Culture
• Television has done forms of viewer engagement before and
continues to.
• C-SPAN has had a show built around viewers calling in for over 40
years, according to Vox.
• But Twitch still remains king in active audience participation.
• Twitch has taken all that TV has done well and left what it did
poorly, making a great user experience that extends to many other
platforms.

11. Citations
• Vinney, C. (n.d.). Parasocial Relationships: The Psychology of One-
Sided Intimacy With Celebrities. ThoughtCo.
https://www.thoughtco.com/parasocial-relationships-4174479.
• Kim, J., & Sintas, J. L. (2021, March 9). Social TV viewers' symbolic
parasocial interactions with media characters: A topic modelling
analysis of viewers' comments. Social Sciences & Humanities Open.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S259029112100
0255.
• Kirby, J. (2020, February 12). Why C-SPAN's quirky call-in show has
endured for 40 years. Vox.
https://www.vox.com/2020/2/12/21076183/c-span-callers-history-
washington-journal.