Abstract

The aim of this paper is to map out the research around the concept of interactivity, as well as to point out the dominant streams and underresearched areas. It is based upon the content analysis of methods employed in articles published in five topranking communication journals over five year period (200610). The review of methods applied in research of interactivity is based upon distinction between social interactivity, textual interactivity and technical interactivity. This classification is further developed by adding the category of levels of interactivity (low, medium and high) which allows further classification of different mediated practices. This leads to specification of nine theoretical subsets of interactivity as the main categories of the analysis of research articles. Within this matrix we have situated diverse methods that respond to conceptually different types and levels of audience/users interactivity. The analysis shows that scholarly focus lies within the low textual and the high social interactive practices, whereas the high technical and high textual interactivity are underresearched areas. Investigations into the audience/users relations with texts are mainly orientated towards content analyses and surveys. High social interaction research is reviving the application of ethnographic methods, while the possibilities of technical interactivity are embraced not as an object but as a tool for research.

Abstract

Since the first decade of the 21st Century, an explosion has occurred in the publication of university rankings. Due to the quantity and variety of initiatives, some authors and institutions reflect on the future development of university league tables which, among other factors, will focus on the use of clusters and the interactivity and customization possibilities that webs allow. This paper describes the main characteristics of these new trends, exemplified by initiatives such as the Centrum für Hochschulentwicklung (CHE), Complete university guide (CUG), and College Navigator of Taiwan. Their advantages and disadvantages are discussed.

Abstract

This article aims to offer the state of the art of international research in online journalism. This work focuses its attention on four of the main features of the field. Three of these comprise the characteristics of digital discourse: hypertextuality, interactivity and multimediality; the fourth one is media convergence, one of the most prolific fields in recent years. A review of literature reveals the evolution of approaches and methodologies used in the last 20 years.

Abstract

Over the last few years the role of the interactive communication professional has changed parallel to technological innovation and the introduction of new communication paradigms. Digital technology has facilitated the creation of the interaction designer, a professional position in many production teams and digital newsrooms that has yet to be fully defined. This paper presents an attempt to define the characteristics and necessary knowledge of the interaction communication expert. This is done by reviewing the skills needed for the practice of interaction design, looking at the career paths offered by graduate and undergraduate studies in interactive communication, and evaluating a case study in the field of interactive documentary. By comparing the results of the three analytical methods (literature review, comparative analysis, and case study) we present research that covers the differing perceptions that exist of this professional position. This analysis brings to the surface a lack of consensus in an emerging field that is still evolving and adapting since its appearance nearly twenty years ago.

Abstract

The confluence of professionals specializing in interactive storytelling, information visualization, digital documentation and investigative reporting in digital newsrooms has allowed the rise of the so called structured journalism (SJ). SJ is a recent trend in digital journalism that considers the reuse, accumulation, revision and contrast of current information with archived information and associated metadata. It is defined as a system in which the information storage in databases is combined with the potential for exploitation and diffusion of digital journalism. It is a way of approaching the informational content in which direct accessibility to primary information, documents, and data is given priority, and in which the construction of the narrative is mediated by the user’s interactivity. In addition to obtaining information and writing news, structured journalism requires an efficient definition and structuring of the database in which that information is stored, the design of information layers and an interactive story.

Abstract

Corporate websites have been challenged to incorporate storytelling narratives that favor emotional bonds with their stakeholders. This paper establishes four categories of implementation in the companies of IBEX 35 and reveals its delay of companies listed in the Dow Jones index. The case studies presented allow us to make recommendations in order to improve the situation.

Abstract

Se presenta un análisis cuantitativo y descriptivo de doscientos servicios de vídeo basados en la web con el objetivo de modelar las características de estos nuevos medios audiovisuales y su relación con los usuarios. La convergencia de las características tradicionales de la televisión con las nuevas funciones de los medios se determina mediante un análisis estadístico basado en técnicas de observación. A través de un análisis estadístico se descubren las relaciones entre las variables establecidas y la forma en que moldean la muestra. Los resultados revelan que la comunicación interpersonal adquiere relevancia sólo en casos paradigmáticos, por lo que las opciones de participación son limitadas en términos de experiencia de usuario. Las funciones que permiten opciones para el intercambio interpersonal, así como el contenido generado por el usuario resultó insignificante en nuestra muestra. Por lo tanto, de acuerdo con los datos obtenidos, la interactividad no es una cualidad que defina nuestra muestra de estudio. Las redes de streaming y oferta de vídeo ya están bien consolidadas, siendo la actividad de mayor crecimiento en Internet, pero no tenemos estudios empíricos cuyo objetivo principal sea analizar sistemáticamente las iniciativas de distribución de contenidos audiovisuales en Internet. Se trata de un medio caracterizado por la convergencia de las emisoras y el contenido generado por los usuarios, y las características típicas de los medios tradicionales con las nuevas tecnologías de red. AbstractA quantitative and descriptive analysis of two hundred web-based video services is presented with an aim to shape the characteristics of these new audiovisual media and their relationship with users. The convergence of traditional television features with new media functionalities is determined via a statistical analysis based on observational techniques. Through a statistical analysis we identify the relationships between the established variables and how they shape our sample. Findings reveal that interpersonal communication acquires relevance just as it does in paradigmatic cases, so options for participation are limited in terms of user experience. Functions that allow interpersonal exchange, as well as the user-generated content, were insignificant for our sample. Therefore, according to the data obtained, interactivity is not a quality that defines our study sample. Streaming video and delivery networks are fully consolidated, being the activity of greater growing on the Internet. Currently there are no empirical studies that systematically analyze initiatives regarding the distribution of audiovisual content on the Internet. Audiovisual content is a media that is characterized by the convergence of broadcasters and user-generated content along with the typical features of traditional media and newer network technologies.

Abstract

Corporate pressrooms, as informative sources for mass media and society, are facing the challenge of accepting the role of prosumers in the interactive and participatory web 2.0 context. In this paper we analyze online pressrooms and propose a five-level classification of the tools offered to users, from the lowest to the highest possibility of participation. After doing the analysis of the most important Spanish companies, we make suggestions in order to move towards a transparent and collaborative model of online pressrooms.

Abstract

Technological advances are creating exciting new opportunities that have the potential to move HPC well beyond traditional computational workloads. In this paper we focus on the potential for HPC to be instrumental in responding to disasters such as wildfires, hurricanes, extreme flooding, earthquakes, tsunamis, winter weather conditions, and accidents. Driven by the VESTEC EU funded H2020 project, our research looks to prove HPC as a tool not only capable of simulating disasters once they have happened, but also one which is able to operate in a responsive mode, supporting disaster response teams making urgent decisions in real-time. Whilst this has the potential to revolutionise disaster response, it requires the ability to drive HPC interactively, both from the user's perspective and also based upon the arrival of data. As such interactivity is a critical component in enabling HPC to be exploited in the role of supporting disaster response teams so that urgent decision makers can make the correct decision first time, every time. Document type: Part of book or chapter of book