Being There Live: An Ethnographic Approach for Studying Social Media Use in Mediatized Live Events

Esther Hammelburg

doi:10.1177/2056305120984454

Being There Live: An Ethnographic Approach for Studying Social Media Use in Mediatized Live Events

Esther Hammelburg

Faculty of Digital Media and Creative Industries (FDMCI)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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Abstract

While live event experiences have become increasingly mediatized, the prevalence of ephemeral content and diverse forms of (semi)private communication in social media platforms have complicated the study of these mediatized experiences as an outsider. This article proposes an ethnographic approach to studying mediatized event experiences from the inside, carrying out participatory fieldwork in online and offline festival environments. I argue that this approach both stimulates ethical research behavior and provides unique insights into mediatized practices. To develop this argument, I apply the proposed methodology to examine how festival-goers perceive differences between public and private, permanent and ephemeral when sharing their live event experiences through social media platforms. Drawing on a substantial dataset containing online and offline participant observations, media diaries, and (short in situ and longer in-depth) interviews with 379 event-goers, this article demonstrates the value of an ethnographic approach for creating thick descriptions of mediatized behavior in digital platforms.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1-11
Journal	Social Media + Society
Volume	7
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305120984454
Publication status	Published - Jan 2021

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To my interviewees and those donating content, I am grateful for your openness and willingness to share beyond the context of your own direct event experiences and familiar circles. My encounters with you have truly enlightened this research project in so many ways. Furthermore, I deeply appreciate the efforts of reviewers to read this paper closely and provide valuable advice for developing and improving it. The amazing organizers of and participants in the Urbino AoIR Flashpoint Symposium, thank you for your warm welcome, support, questions, and discussions. And special thanks to Stefano Brilli, Elisabetta Zurovac, and Giovanni Boccia Artieri for realizing this special issue. The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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2056305120984454Final published version, 492 KBLicence: CC BY-NC

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title = "Being There Live: An Ethnographic Approach for Studying Social Media Use in Mediatized Live Events",

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Being There Live: An Ethnographic Approach for Studying Social Media Use in Mediatized Live Events

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