BALTIC SCREEN MEDIA REVIEW 2017 / VOLUME 5 / ARTICLE Article

Exploring Cross-Media Audience Practices in Two Cases of Public Service Media in and Finland

ALESSANDRO NANÌ, University of Tartu & University, Estonia; email: [email protected]

PILLE PRUULMANN-VENGERFELDT, Malmö University, Sweden; email: [email protected]

58 DOI: 10.1515/bsmr-2017-0012 ABSTRACT Stemming from the concept of active audiences and from Henry Jenkins’ (2006) idea of participatory culture as the driving force behind the transformation of public service broadcasting into agencies of public service media (Bardoel, Ferrell Lowe 2007), this empirical study explores the attitude and behaviour of the audiences of two cross- media projects, produced by the public service media of Finland (YLE) and Estonia (ERR).

This empirical study aims to explore the behaviour, wants and needs of the audiences of cross-media productions and to shed some light on the conditions that support the dynamic switching of the engagement with cross-media.

The study’s results suggest that audiences are neither passive nor active, but switch from one mode to another. The findings demonstrate that audience dynamism is circumstantial and cannot be assumed. Thus, thinking about active audiences and participation as the lymph of public service media becomes problematic, especially when broadcasters seek generalised production practices. This work demonstrates how television networks in general cannot be participatory, and instead, how cross-media can work as a vehicle of micro participation through small acts of audience engagement (Kleut et al. 2017).

59 BALTIC SCREEN MEDIA REVIEW 2017 / VOLUME 5 / ARTICLE FROM PUBLIC SERVICE relies on theoretical utopias rather than on BROADCASTERS TO PUBLIC tried and tested empirical investigations, SERVICE MEDIA the changes in TV networks result more from a trial-and-error approach than a sys- People want to be included, and tematic understanding of complex realities. they want to be heard. Now they This situation is evident in the transforma- know how to make themselves tion of public service broadcasting into heard, and if we want to be rel- agencies of public service media (Kjus 2007: evant in society, we need to talk 135). to them by making our channels On one hand, scholars have argued inclusive. We need new inclusive that public service broadcasting needs to strategies to reach new types of seek new models for engaging citizens. audiences. For instance, Jo Bardoel and Gregory Fer- rell Lowe (2007) claim that public service This imaginary quote from an imaginary broadcasters must move beyond the television (TV) executive is what producers broadcasting model to prioritise multime- might have heard in production meetings dia practices in the attempt to reach frag- worldwide, but is this an accurate state- mented audiences and therefore to fulfil, ment? Is this what audiences want from once again, the remit they represent. Elisa- public service broadcasters? beth Evans (2015) stresses how offering Today’s media landscape is made of alternatives to TV broadcasting translates contradictory forces to which broadcasters into offering audiences a wider range of are trying to adapt. If society is character- choices in their engagement with the con- ised by a ‘lesser collective participation’ tent produced by TV. Andres Jõesaar (2015: (Bardoel, d’Haenens 2008: 341), the indi- 81) argues that considering the young gen- vidual contribution to the media discourse eration’s departure from watching linear TV, has reached new heights, and new breeds broadcasters should reposition themselves of audiences are today, more than ever, and think in terms of converging media ready to engage in participatory production platforms, that is, cross-media strategies. practices that, if not revolutionary, are the On the other hand, the broadcasters’ results of the society we live in today (Evans leap into new inclusive strategies is often 2015: 111). Within this framework, on the approximate, generic and contradictory. one side, issues such as media saturation Indeed, if many European public service and audience fragmentation are viewed broadcasters have already shifted to public as concrete threats to the effectiveness service media (Sehl et al. 2016), this does of public service broadcasting in reaching not necessarily translate into a good under- and serving their publics. Seemingly on the standing of the implications caused by con- other side, using digital media to include vergence and participation. Mark Andrejevic the publics is perceived by broadcasters argues that ‘while audiences are active, the as a way out. In fact, a number of aca- advent of interactive media is the develop- demics (Jenkins 2006, Long 2007, Scolari ment of strategies for promoting, harness- 2009, Dena 2009) have started highlighting ing, and exploiting the productivity of this the behaviour of new types of audiences activity’ (Andrejevic 2008: 25). However, hav- who are departing from linear broadcast- ing a presence in social media and produc- ing while embracing novel forms of active ing content for the internet cannot by itself engagement. The challenge of less engaged be the answer to the oft-lamented loss of societies and audiences that, at least in audiences. Sharon M. Ross remarks that theory, are ready to interact and participate ‘the Internet has played a significant role in in media makes public broadcasters scram- prompting the television industry to begin ble for new productions. However, as the seeking viewer tele-participation’ (Ross understanding of audience behaviour often 2011: 72). However, tele-participation is

60 BALTIC SCREEN MEDIA REVIEW 2017 / VOLUME 5 / ARTICLE often confined to forms of interaction, such that are designed to intertwine and support as tele-voting and commenting. At least, as one another. In cross-media, the audience this study’s findings demonstrate, this is is expected to have different degrees of not necessarily what makes the difference engagement in the form of active interac- in the relationship between broadcasters tion, and at its best, of participation (Gam- and their audiences. barato, Nanì 2016). For John Fiske (1989), The lack of understanding of how to the conceptualisation of active audiences engage new audiences is demonstrated stems from the act of interpretation as a in the case of public service broadcasting form of active engagement with the text. in Estonia (ERR). Indrek Ibrus and Astra And while we presume that the active Merivee point out that despite the ERR engagement with the text on the interpre- executives’ genuine interest in pursuing new tational level is true across all audiences, cross-media strategies, approximation and in the case of cross-media environment, the lack of comprehension clearly jeop- the audiences are invited to become active ardise the changes necessary to fulfil the agents of composing their personal expe- public service remit (Ibrus, Merivee 2014: riences. Based on Henry Jenkins’ (1992) 117). The shift from public service broad- idea of participation, audience reactions, casting to public service media – inspired comments or involvement become part by the need to address irreversible societal of the cross-media experience. Such changes that push people away from col- active engagement shapes what Jenkins lective participation and simultaneously describes as participatory culture, a dimen- pull them towards individual participation – sion where individuals are ready to migrate should evolve around a clear understanding from one medium to another if they find of audiences and audience practices. the experience compelling enough and where fans depart from the mere consump- CROSS-MEDIA AND tion of media to embrace forms of organ- PUBLIC SERVICE MEDIA ised and autonomous production of new In this article, cross-media includes all texts (Jenkins 1992: 43). Such production activities that carry messages across plat- occurs in the light of a culture of inclusion forms, aimed at catching audience atten- that propels audience engagement. Such tion, facilitating awareness and enhancing engagement is not immune to exploitation, engagement (Ibrus, Scolari 2012). Social for instance, from the perspective of digital media platforms are among them, but news labour as discussed by Christian Fuchs and portals, websites and live events can also Sebastian Sevignani (2013) from a political be considered to be cross-media. Cross- economy perspective. However, the aim of media is an inclusive term that reflects the this article is not necessarily critique, tak- productions of the majority of European ing advantage of audiences as co-produc- public service media and can be defined ers, but rather to investigate whether the as the spreading of content across differ- audiences recognise such invitations in the ent media chosen for their characteristics, first place. As demonstrated in the following and where texts are related to each other, sections, if we limit the cross-media experi- but are not necessarily linked by a unify- ence to active re-appropriation of content ing narrative that needs to be followed in as defined by Jenkins, we lose out on an its entirety to understand the individual in-depth understanding of the nuances of components. Furthermore, cross-media is audience behaviour. Participatory culture not related to the repurposing of the same thus comprises a set of ideas, customs and content on different platforms, but the social behaviours that, sustained by new creation of unique content for a specific media technologies, enhance the involve- medium that, when put together, produces ment of people in media and more generally, a coherent and plausible whole. The whole in society. unit becomes the sum of different texts

61 BALTIC SCREEN MEDIA REVIEW 2017 / VOLUME 5 / ARTICLE DYNAMIC AUDIENCE participatory media are active participants, Audiences have been studied and concep- and that passive consumption is either tualised from different angles (Abercrom- absent or regrettable’ (Carpentier 2011: bie, Longhurst 1998). Without joining the 200). However, in the light of the fluidity almost exhausted debate on the legitimate of audiences, we suggest that a dynamic use of the term ‘audience’, we feel com- audience is neither passive nor active per pelled to stress that even if audiences have se, neither worse nor better, but dynami- historically been associated with being cally transforming and adapting to differ- receivers, hence spectators, viewers or lis- ent stimuli. Therefore, the very idea of an teners, the reality has changed today: audience as a stable group is superseded, favouring instead the idea of individuals the more individuals are free and adopting practices that belong to a certain able to compose their own media group, rather than the individuals them- ‘diets’ as a result of new tech- selves necessarily forming such a group. nology, the more such types of Even in the case of self-identification audience will emerge, having no with a certain group, such as individuals clear definition in terms of social identifying themselves as fans of some- categories, but held together, thing, an individual should not be framed nevertheless, by a convergence of as a fan; rather, his or her actions should be cultural tastes, interests of infor- considered practices that might reflect a mation needs. (McQuail 1997: certain common behaviour. The use of the 22–23) word ‘fans’ indicates ‘a wide range of ordi- nary people who [have] positive emotion- Although Denis McQuail’s argument is rel- al engagement with popular culture’ (Duffett evant, the idea of being held together is, if 2013: 17). In this context, we feel compelled not incorrect, at least imprecise. Actually, to highlight the ordinary rather than the ex- even if individuals are part of an audience traordinary. Thus, a fan is firstly an individual due for instance to certain cultural tastes who is interested in a text at a given that hold them together, tastes can change moment, which might be long or short, and and preferences are often circumstantial. under particular circumstances. While there Sonia Livingstone (2013) suggests that an might be different views, this self-identifica- audience is such only within a specific time, tion with practices rather than with groups space and circumstance; hence, it should helps notice the people who are not organ- be regarded as a dimension rather than a ised according to groups or communities fixed and established entity. Sherryl Wilson but still share a common set of practices. proposes the need for a new conceptuali- Engagement can vary to great degree, sation of audiences ‘that accommodates and we hereby propose differentiating the idea that audiences’ attention will vary among three degrees of cross-media according to genre, social circumstance, engagement. The first encompasses what and mood’ (Wilson 2016: 187). Further- Kim C. Schrøder (2011) calls inherently more, the need for a new conceptualisa- cross-media audience behaviour – peo- tion of audiences should not hint at the ple follow news and other media across need to find a superior model of an audi- different channels to compose their own ence; indeed, it should bridge old and new experiences. This behaviour demonstrates where one is not better than the other. In unmindful cross-media consumption. The the recent past, a certain tension has (re-) second degree involves active cross-media emerged between the concepts of passive consumption, where the audience starts and active audiences, where the latter has to actively follow and seek different cross- often been favoured (Nightingale 2011: 2). media linkages provided by a producer. Nico Carpentier argues that ‘we are The third degree occurs when audiences often led to believe that all audiences of become part of the media production.

62 BALTIC SCREEN MEDIA REVIEW 2017 / VOLUME 5 / ARTICLE However, sharing the same code does can only be the result of the cultural bag- not necessarily translate into sharing the gage that each individual bears. Perception same understanding or appropriation of is culturally driven; hence, it implicitly car- a given message. Here is where Umberto ries a polysemy of meanings as Eco (1990) Eco’s (1990) idea of interpretation (and its suggests. We now further investigate the limits) becomes useful because it is based cross-media affordances as perceived by on the belief that a shared code is not a suf- the audience. ficient guarantee against polysemic mean- ings, and we might add, against polysemic EMPIRICAL RESEARCH behaviours. ON THE BEHAVIOUR OF The diverse ways to appropriate a CROSS-MEDIA AUDIENCES given message brings us to the concept of Given that an audience constitutes a affordance as introduced by James J. Gib- dynamic dimension, the division of par- son. He argues that ‘the affordances of the ticipants into groups and subgroups might environment are what it offers the animal, still be useful to the practical side of an what it provides or furnishes, either for empirical investigation. In this research good or ill’ (Gibson 1979: 127). For Gibson, as well, the audiences were approached an affordance exists independently of the through preconditioned groups and invited actor’s ability to recognise it; nevertheless, to discuss issues in a focus-group environ- it is dependent on the action capabili- ment, where it was assumed that a shared ties of the same individual. For instance, background would make it easier to share to a technology-savvy individual, a mobile experiences. However, the data should be app can have an affordance of interaction, analysed with the awareness that practices but the same affordance is missing from matter and might vary even among indi- a technology-inept person who lacks the viduals clustered in the same group, and required action capability. This means that such clustering does not represent the only cross-media affordances are such if the established status of the group members. audience is potentially capable of engag- Current empirical work explores the ing with them. Relating Gibson’s argument behaviour, wants and needs of the audi- to Eco’s (1990) theory, we argue that this ences of cross-media productions. While type of affordance denotes a message that ‘audiences are inherently cross-media’ exists per se but is interpreted in a cor- (Schrøder 2011), composing their own rect way only in the presence of a shared stories of reality from diverse media repre- code. However, Gibson’s visions do not sentations, are they ready to embrace the contemplate the possibility of an alterna- participatory model within productions that tive interpretation, hence of a polysemy of are developed, created and distributed by connotations. However, in borrowing Donald public service media? A. Norman’s popular re-interpretation of With this objective in mind, we affordance, originally introduced in 1988 in selected two productions: Eesti laul (Esto- his book The Psychology of Everyday Things, nian Song), the pop-song contest produced the issue of a polysemy of connotations is by the Estonian public service broadcaster promptly addressed. For Norman, ‘affor- ERR, and Puoli seitsemän (Half Past Six), dances refer to the potential actions that an evening magazine-type, cross-media are possible, but these are easily discover- programme produced by YLE, the Finnish able only if they are perceivable: perceived public service media. affordances’ (Norman 2013: 145). As Joanna Eesti laul is an annual event aimed at McGrenere and Wayne Ho suggest, in Nor- showcasing Estonian singers and selecting man’s interpretation of affordance, ‘an indi- the national representative for the Eurovi- vidual may be involved in characterising the sion Song Contest. The cross-media pro- existence of the affordance’ (McGrenere, Ho duction consists of three TV shows – two 2000: 181). If an affordance is perceived, it semi-finals that take place in ERR’s main TV

63 BALTIC SCREEN MEDIA REVIEW 2017 / VOLUME 5 / ARTICLE studio and one final live event in the Saku we could not find multiple case studies Suurhall, Estonia’s largest indoor arena that from the same organisation. Certainly, accommodates approximately 10,000 peo- both media organisations (ERR and YLE) ple – that are all broadcast live on ETV, the have productions that unfold on different main TV channel of ERR. platforms. However, several meetings with In addition to these three shows, other the management of the two organisations ERR TV programmes and ERR channels have demonstrated that the two selected contribute to the cross-media pallet of Eesti samples best represent the definition of laul. ETV+, a Russian-language channel cross-media and best fit the aims and the launched in 2016, had special live cover- description of public service media. Fur- age of the event. Similarly, Raadio2 had a thermore, considering that this study is not live broadcast of the event. ETV’s breakfast intended to be comparative, the selection programme Terevisioon and an evening of two examples from Finland and Esto- infotainment programme Ringvaade con- nia, regardless of the differences in their tribute introductory feature stories before media systems (Hallin, Mancini 2012), show the semi-finals and interviews with artists quite similar patterns of media consump- during the period covering the three shows. tion, such as TV viewing hours and internet The cross-media plateau includes an online penetration percentages (Standard Euro- presence consisting of a dedicated website, barometer 2016). Thus, this paper provides a Facebook page that features posts writ- insights into the audience practices of two ten in Estonian and English, as well as Twit- neighbouring countries. ter and Instagram accounts. The data were collected through seven Moreover, the entire cross-media is not focus groups, divided into four groups with confined to ERR. In fact,Eesti laul has chal- a total of 21 participants representing lenged the original idea of public service Puoli seitsemän and three groups with a media by forming a partnership with Posti- total of 27 participants representing Eesti mees, the largest private daily newspaper in laul. The number of focus groups and their Estonia. The printed and online versions of typology were based on previous discus- Postimees have dedicated inserts and offer sions with the producers of the two shows unique access to artists and content. that resulted in the conceptualisation of Puoli seitsemän is a factual magazine- their audiences. In fact, in the case of Puoli type, daily TV show aired on YLE’s main seitsemän, the participants were selected channel YLE1, with inserts on radio broad- through an agency and personal recruit- casts, a number of live events, webisodes ment in order to assemble groups of people and a presence on Facebook, Instagram that the producers identified as potential and Twitter. Furthermore, Puoli seitsemän audiences (specifically, young men, moth- produces episodes covering several weeks, ers of pre-kindergarten children and young with themes focusing on specific issues, working women), as well as through a Face- such as ornithology, fishing, and so on. Dur- book invitation to active followers of the ing these thematic weeks, the programme programmes. features special inserts on radio broad- Aside from having followers, as does casts, organises specific events and creates Puoli seitsemän, Eesti laul’s case was in ‘small acts of audience engagement’ (Kleut some ways singular because of the exist- et al. 2017: 28), such as inviting audiences ence of an official fan club (an association to build their own birdhouses and then recognised by the producers and therefore share their images with relevant comments, officially accredited to represent Estonia at on Puoli seitsemän’s social media pages. the Song Contest), whose mem- The selection of works from two dif- bers were invited to be part of a separate ferent countries provides a speculative pic- focus group for two reasons. Firstly, in prac- ture of the current situation. Cross-media tical terms, we wanted to keep the number is still a rather new phenomenon; hence, of participants manageable but still large

64 BALTIC SCREEN MEDIA REVIEW 2017 / VOLUME 5 / ARTICLE enough to allow for the possibility of diverse and needs of the audiences of cross-media opinions and views. Secondly, we recog- productions, and the different ways that nised the opportunity to observe whether they support audience engagement with the belonging to an institutionalised community texts. would demonstrate a different behavioural First, cross-media-perceived affor- pattern compared with a more casual or dances are influenced by a silent agree- non-organised following. Since the inter- ment between producers and their audi- views indicated that the producers’ con- ences regarding modes of engagement with ceptualisation of the audiences included different media. The focus groups indicate people who could understand Estonian, that the majority of the participants associ- the third focus group was comprised of ate TV with the act of viewing, hence with a individuals of both genders, ranging in age sort of passive attitude towards the text or from 16 to 60 years and referred to here as the process of viewing. For instance, Puoli the general Estonian population. The focus seitsemän is described with comments group participants were selected through such as ‘relaxing on the couch’, and the personal contacts, followed by the snow- engagement with it is described with state- balling method, and through announce- ments such as ‘I don’t need any interaction ments on the Tallinn University and the ERR when I’m watching TV; I like that it’s pas- Facebook pages. Unlike the other two, the sive’, and ‘I think that I don’t need anything participants belonging to the Fans of Eesti more than watching TV’. This perspective laul focus group were suggested by the links their practices mostly to the first level leaders of the fan club. of engagement where casual cross-media engagement may occur but is not recog- FROM TV SHOW TO WATCHING nised by audiences as such. TO A WILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE, For some participants, Eesti laul fol- IF THE CONDITIONS ARE RIGHT lows similar patterns, where people claim The findings indicate a dissonance between it to be ‘a TV show to watch’. For others, the the possibility of theoretical engagement competitive nature of the event and the of audiences across platforms and their relevance of its outcome (Estonia being actual engagement with cross-media. represented at the ) The audiences of both productions lead to different interpretations. For exam- equally indicate that the perception of what ple, fans describe it with arguments such as constitutes TV, and thus the associated ‘I think it is so much more than a TV show’, practices, plays a relevant role in the audi- and ‘It creates tsunamis in social media’. ences’ willingness to engage in participatory Thus, there is a greater recognition of its practices typical of cross-media. cross-media nature as many study partici- Both Puoli seitsemän and Eesti laul pants perceive Eesti laul as an annual event are perceived by their audiences as TV pro- that is aired on TV, but audiences play a grammes, and although some focus group decisive role in shaping the outcome of the participants recognise their multiplatform show. In fact, when asked what Eesti laul nature, they still mainly refer to the pro- is, all participants readily agree that Eesti grammes as TV shows. Such de-codification laul involves the selection of an Estonian shapes the immediate degree and nature song that will represent the country at the of engagement that individuals are ready Eurovision Song Contest. The association of to share with the text. Based on Norman’s Eesti laul with TV, especially by the general (2013) argument, we suggest that cross- public and the followers, emerges only at media-perceived affordances are shaped the second stage when they are asked what by several factors that are culturally and Eesti laul is in media terms. This means that circumstantially dependent. In this study, Eesti laul audiences actively recognise that we investigate some of the affordances as the concert is the potential main event and relationships among the behaviour, wants the TV show is a cross-media add-on to

65 BALTIC SCREEN MEDIA REVIEW 2017 / VOLUME 5 / ARTICLE allow people to follow the production. The tation becomes more unrealistic when audiences also explicitly mention seeing applied to Puoli seitsemän. The members Eesti laul everywhere, meaning that they of the audience do not think that the Puoli notice the cross-media element even if they seitsemän texts are specialised (thus in do not seek out and follow the production. this case, also motivating) enough to be In fact, when asked where he notices Eesti trusted with deeper engagement on a given laul in the media, a participant belonging to topic. The participants in one of the focus the followers’ focus group said: groups referred to Top Gear (the popular car show produced by BBC) claiming that Participant: Mm…. I don’t know. they would engage with its content across I get most of my information from platforms because they trust the exper- Postimees. tise of Top Gear. However, they would not Interviewer: So, did you notice want to engage with the daily magazine- Eesti laul in Postimees? type Puoli seitsemän because as a generic Participant: Of course. It was full programme, it has not generated enough of it. content-related trust to warrant the audi- ence’s shift from passive consumption to Even more illustrative is the comment from active engagement. Thus, people might still one Eesti laul fan: ‘You get it [Eesti laul] from be following Schrøder’s (2011) idea of mak- everywhere.’ ing their own experiences cross-mediatic, The main difference from Puoli seit- but not necessarily by engaging with the semän is that the Eesti laul show’s interac- opportunities provided by the public service tive component is immediately recognised broadcaster. by its audience; thus, the third level of Third, cross-media-perceived af- engagement, where audience participation fordances are genre dependent. Audience is part of the programme, is also appreci- members also draw attention to the dif- ated by the audience. The Eesti laul winner ferent attitudes towards cross-media, de- is indeed decided by the votes of the jury pending on the genre. The case of Top Gear, (comprising experts) and the public’s tele- that is a highly specialised format, and oth- vote in a system that first determines who er comments demonstrate that, while the among the pre-selected artists will advance cross-media approach might work for one from the semi-finals to the finals and production, it might not work for another. then selects the winner. Audience engage- Fourth, cross-media-perceived affor- ment via call-in votes is appreciated and dances rely on the distribution strategies recognised as participation. However, the and tools. In case of TV programmes, the other cross-media dimensions of Eesti laul choice of the time slot is well recognised remain by and large unnoticed and unrec- as being relevant to their success; in cross- ognised. Thus, while voting is recognised media, this aspect becomes even more as participation in the process of making evident. Cross-media implies the use of dif- Eesti laul, other cross-media participation ferent media that, in certain cases, should possibilities (such as engagement in social occur simultaneously. This is the case in the media) are less realised. second-screening practices, such as tweet- Second, perceived affordances of ing and tele-voting, of Eesti laul. cross-media depend on the recognition of The Eesti laul TV show is aired in the relevance and expertise. If a certain text is evening during prime time when presum- considered interesting, an individual might ably, viewers can pay attention to it and be willing to engage in cross-media possi- possibly engage beyond TV in the form of bilities in addition to the primary text, interaction with the programme. The body and audiences might be ready to get of the data from Eesti laul does not show involved in the participatory elements any conflicts in the time-slot–interaction of the production. However, this expec- relation, which indicates that for this type

66 BALTIC SCREEN MEDIA REVIEW 2017 / VOLUME 5 / ARTICLE of programme, this type of interaction, the ognises the need for cross-media while fail- presumption has worked and people rec- ing to fully understand its practices (Ibrus, ognise the affordance. However, in the case Merivee 2014). Darja Saar (2015), the direc- of Puoli seitsemän, a number of comments tor of one of the ERR TV channels (which highlight the difficulties. The programme is was launched in September 2015), officially aired at 6:30 pm, a time when families (e.g., argued in favour of shaping it into an inno- those with young children) are engaged in vative cross-media channel. Even the press various activities, such as preparing food, release was entitled ‘Igaüks on oluline! Si- eating and playing with the kids. Thus, at nust sõltub!’ (‘Everyone is important! It de- this time, TV acts as a background for other pends on you!’), pointing to the general, all- activities. To assume that viewers would encompassing engagement idea. However, want to interact with cross-media content as this study’s findings indicate, the aspira- in these cases, when the TV is turned on but tion for a generic cross-media channel is is not the centre of the viewers’ attention, contrasted with the audience-perceived becomes rather unrealistic. affordances of cross-media. Thus, if we plan One mother clearly illustrates the to achieve the ideal of considering everyone function of TV in the early evening: to be important, then the general ‘everyone’ needs to be divided into specific ‘someones’ Pikku Kakkonen [a programme for whose needs are met by diverse cross-me- children] is [shown] every day at 5 dia activities, in which the discussed four o’clock, and it’s a convenient time types of affordances – the positioning of to [prepare] food; ...it is very easy medium, relevance and expertise, genre and to cook while the kids are watch- distribution strategies – are considered. ing Pikku Kakkonen. [---] I think it’s something that YLE has con- CONCLUSIONS sidered in their scheduling, but The theory section has included a discus- besides that, I think there is no sion of the dichotomy between a society need for TV in our family. I watch with declining collective participation and a TV series when I have some free the blossoming of new types of audiences time after the kids are asleep, who want to be heard while seeking pos- and two hours before I go to bed. sibilities for individualised participation. Then I want to watch exactly what Topped by an evident fragmentation of I want, not something like, okay, audiences, this situation has prompted maybe this is interesting. the shift from public service broadcasting to public service media. However, media Thus, even if topical engagement might be networks have done so without any clear possible, the unsuitability of the timeslot strategies or clear understandings of audi- and lack of specificity has made it impos- ences and their needs. The theoretical dis- sible for this young mother to meet the cussions about the issues of cross-media expectation of the broadcaster. have been limited to production and the These four conditions for cross- offering of cross-media content, while not media affordances, and more specifically, critically questioning why and under which perceived affordances, demonstrate that circumstances the audiences would want cross-media strategies should be specific to engage with cross-media production. and circumstantial and not generalised. In There has also been limited discussion fact, this contrasts with the various policies and understanding about what it means to and arguments promoting general strate- be engaged with cross-media production. gies aimed at enhancing the shift towards Hopefully, this article will provide initial public service media. To provide just one ideas leading to a critical examination and example of general cross-media strategies, recognition of audience activities. consider ERR where the management rec-

67 BALTIC SCREEN MEDIA REVIEW 2017 / VOLUME 5 / ARTICLE Citing two examples, this empirical approach when using public funds. How- study has discussed how a cross-media ever, it seems obvious that especially with approach (e.g. having an internet presence limited budgets, such as in the case of ERR and producing across different media plat- (Ibrus, Merivee 2014), the balance between forms) does not necessarily mean reaching innovation, experimentation and sound the audience and overcoming fragmenta- decisions should be carefully considered tion. and benchmarked against research and The default TV-watching mode for the previous experiences. entertainment productions discussed here seems to be relaxed and the mere process- ing of content. The cross-media dimension can easily be dismissed or ignored if the conditions are not right. Thus, the perceived default for engagement is reading/viewing, while the audience’s cross-media experi- ences are being put together without much conscious thought or any recognition of the producers’ efforts. To engage audiences in cross-media to a greater degree – as active seekers of content or even participants through sharing or commenting – greater efforts need to be made by the cross-media producers. The audiences are unwilling to engage in one-model-fits-all approaches as their attitudes depend on whether they per- ceive the engagement partner to be worthy of their trust. As the findings demonstrate, the cross-media affordances are shaped by a number of factors that might not only hinder the recognition of the production as a cross-media type, but even result in forms of conflicting interpretations. Audi- ences prefer specific engagements to more generic ones and are more likely to follow expert knowledge than general journalistic content. The list of the four perceived affor- dances is by no means exhaustive; there can be more, especially as those we have found indicate high specificity. This means that different types of production and modes of engagement need to be discussed and studied further. The proposed division into three degrees of participatory engage- ment employs a wide variety of practices and ignores the power-related dimension of participatory engagement as discussed by Carpentier (2011). To properly address this limitation, further studies are needed. This work has not touched on the economic aspects of the trial-and-error

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