Interactive News Experiences with Virtual News Anchors: Exploring the Presentation and the Use of Virtual News Anchors with Finnish News Consumers
Eiste, Veera (2020)
2020
Master's Programme in Human-Technology Interaction
Informaatioteknologian ja viestinnän tiedekunta - Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2020-12-08
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202011268250
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202011268250
Tiivistelmä
Distribution of news content is shifting from traditional media to online platforms as society digitalises. Engaging news consumers is more difficult because media companies must compete for consumers’ attention and time with a vast amount of increasingly compelling and interactive content. Therefore, media companies could consider offering news consumers engaging and interactive news content with emerging technologies, such as virtual news anchors. In this thesis, virtual news anchors are perceived as an engaging and interactive form of virtualised news distribution.
The thesis aims to explore the Finnish news consumers’ opinions and perceptions on the virtual news anchor presentation and the use. The presentation refers to how the virtual news anchors appear, interact, and in which environment. The use refers to the kind of news the virtual news anchors could deliver, and the additional features they could offer. The concept is yet to emerge in Finland, and prior research in the field of Human-Technology Interaction does not exist on the presentation and the use. Therefore, this thesis explores the news consumers’ first reactions, expectations, and ideas towards such technology.
The research aim was approached with three focus group interviews with Finnish news consumers. Five visual simulation videos of varying virtual news anchor presentations were created for the study participants to evaluate and discuss. The findings of the study suggest that the virtual news anchors could be customisable virtual characters of any form. They would not have to mimic the traditional human news anchors in studio settings, except for neutral and professional verbal and non-verbal interaction, and attire. The virtual news anchors could be an additional service that offers more elaborated and personalised content and gamified and stimulating experiences. The virtual news anchors could be used either for lighter news or for the news consumers to experience general topics of discussion. The thesis offers novel information and perspectives on the concept of virtual news anchors. Based on the findings, more elaborated concepts and prototypes can be established for news consumers and media companies to evaluate further.
The thesis aims to explore the Finnish news consumers’ opinions and perceptions on the virtual news anchor presentation and the use. The presentation refers to how the virtual news anchors appear, interact, and in which environment. The use refers to the kind of news the virtual news anchors could deliver, and the additional features they could offer. The concept is yet to emerge in Finland, and prior research in the field of Human-Technology Interaction does not exist on the presentation and the use. Therefore, this thesis explores the news consumers’ first reactions, expectations, and ideas towards such technology.
The research aim was approached with three focus group interviews with Finnish news consumers. Five visual simulation videos of varying virtual news anchor presentations were created for the study participants to evaluate and discuss. The findings of the study suggest that the virtual news anchors could be customisable virtual characters of any form. They would not have to mimic the traditional human news anchors in studio settings, except for neutral and professional verbal and non-verbal interaction, and attire. The virtual news anchors could be an additional service that offers more elaborated and personalised content and gamified and stimulating experiences. The virtual news anchors could be used either for lighter news or for the news consumers to experience general topics of discussion. The thesis offers novel information and perspectives on the concept of virtual news anchors. Based on the findings, more elaborated concepts and prototypes can be established for news consumers and media companies to evaluate further.