Jenny Bronstein and Danit Lidor
This study aims to examine the motivations of a group of music fans of the Eurovision Song Contest to seek information about the competition and to participate in a virtual…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the motivations of a group of music fans of the Eurovision Song Contest to seek information about the competition and to participate in a virtual community of fans.
Design/methodology/approach
The study draws from the uses and gratifications framework to understand the needs that a particular mass medium fulfills for its users. Fifteen Eurovision fans were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule. Interviewees were asked to talk about how they seek information about the competition, to relate their engagement and participation with the virtual community and to reflect on the role that the community of fans and the Eurovision have in their lives.
Findings
Content analysis revealed four themes that reflect the motivations that shape many aspects of participants lives, relating to seeking information about the Eurovision Song Contest, fulfilling the need for serious leisure, making social connections, finding a sense of belonging and forming an identity.
Social implications
The study examines the motivations of a group of people who share a common interest that shaped the ways the seek information, related to others, view themselves and construct their identity and make social connections, all to satisfy their love and admiration for the competition, and this regardless of the societal stigma that the competition might carry.
Originality/value
This study extends the literature on serious leisure information seeking by exploring the role that information and social media play in different aspects serious leisure activities.
Details
Keywords
Maor Weinberger and Dan Bouhnik
This exploratory study explores usage habits in music streaming applications (MSA) and their influence on various dimensions, such as: changes in personal music management (PMM…
Abstract
Purpose
This exploratory study explores usage habits in music streaming applications (MSA) and their influence on various dimensions, such as: changes in personal music management (PMM) and musical information retrieval; sense of ownership over songs being stored on MSA; and privacy concerns when using those applications. It also investigates the potential effect of demographic factors and personal musical preferences on the tested variables.
Design/methodology/approach
This is examined by using a mixed methodology that is consisted of two phases – qualitative and quantitative: The qualitative phase includes semistructured interviews with three MSA users, and the quantitative phase includes the distribution of closed-ended questionnaires among 192 users of MSA.
Findings
It seems that the musical information management methods have changed dramatically with the introduction of MSA. Also, the findings show that even though users are only moderately concerned about their privacy within MSA, they are willing to pay for premium services that will ensure privacy protection. Interestingly, personal musical preference was found to affect the belief in the potential of using MSA as part of a social activity and on the willingness to pay for premium services within them.
Originality/value
This paper represents an extension of the article by Weinberger and Bouhnik (2019). It appears to be the first academic research to investigate the issue of musical information retrieval and PMM among MSA. In addition, it is the first study that takes into account privacy-related issues among MSA users.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-04-2020-0118