Live Streaming: A new economy of connection

Revealing Reality

Summary

The regular consumption of live streamed content by our respondents keeps cropping up in our media research. We have been able to gain some insight into why this is becoming such a popular form of content and the impact it has on people, but have thus far been unable to explore the topic fully. We rarely come across discussions about live streaming, or what it implies, despite it being a huge and growing industry, highlighting the immediate need for further research in this area.

Live streaming consumption has also tended to coincide with a desire for connection – time and time again we’re seeing links between the use of online communities, like the live-chat alongside online gambling, and the desire to form relationships.

We wanted to explore the mechanics of live streaming: what it’s like for the streamers and the viewers, and the potential links between a more disconnected society and the rise of live online content.

We haven’t included any recommendations about what might need to change in the world of live streaming, instead focusing on bringing clarity to a phenomenon that is helping shape the future of our society but is poorly understood.