The objective is to study how online media and social media data can be analysed to better understand the social-cultural value and impact from communities’ engagement with BBC coverage and participation in activities relating to Eurovision.
The views and emotions expressed in the communications will be interpreted according to contextual factors (for example, spatial location, time, performance) during and following Eurovision events.
The approach involves layering the analysis of online and social media communications on a virtual 3D map of Liverpool City Region. The data visualisation is displayed on a digital wall, allowing for greater immersion and understanding of information flows across the city region, compared to viewing visualisations at a small scale.
The goal is to understand the dynamics of local engagement with Eurovision and the public views and concerns which subsequently arise. In addition to monitoring the local impact of Eurovision, the project will explore new methodologies for understanding the meanings arising from linguistic, visual and audio choices in digital media which can be used to study other major events.
The assessment of the reusability of the approach for future evaluation of events by the University, BBC and other media stakeholders will be a key outcome from the project.
The research team members are: Professor Simeon Yates, Department of Communication and Media and Co-Director of the Digital Media & Society Institute (DMSI), University of Liverpool; Professor Kay O’Halloran, Department of Communication and Media and Co-Director of the Digital Media & Society Institute (DMSI), University of Liverpool; Dr Rhianne Jones, Research Lead: Responsible Technology and Innovation, BBC Research and Development; Tom Carr, Senior Economist, BBC; Dr Konstantin Vikhorev, Digital Innovation Facility (DIF), University of Liverpool; Professor Alex Singleton, Department of Geography and Planning, Director of the ESRC Consumer Data Research Centre (CDRC) and Director of the ESRC Data Analytics & Society CDT, University of Liverpool; and Dr Francisco Rowe, Department of Geography and Planning and Director of the Geographic Data Science Lab, University of Liverpool.
The project is a collaboration between the University of Liverpool and the BBC, funded by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Virtual Engineering Centre (VEC) and Digital Innovation Facility (DIF), University of Liverpool.
Banner image credit: Mark McNulty
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