[James1902]

Originally Posted by JesseK

Yet I think we're asking the wrong questions with respect to broadcasting for target audiences. The question should be: how do current families with young children watch their entertainment? What if they're poor? What if they can afford every entertainment option? If they're already using Twitch, how do we get FRC robotics onto their Xboxes without them having to already desire it?

I have a moment to breath this weekend. Maybe I'll pull together some research.

Here is a good place to start: http://techcrunch.com/2012/02/09/100...n-watch-video/

"Americans streamed 43.5 billion videos in December 2011, up 44% since December 2010"

"The average viewer watches 239 videos per month"

"The study also showed that 105.1 million Americans now watch videos online each day, up 43% from 73.7 million in 2010."

I still can't find the comment in this thread that said FRC is not well-suited for live broadcast and why - are there other threads?

FRC is as well suited to live broadcast as soccer or hockey or curling is, but we lack the infrastructure to make the broadcast easily digestible to a mainstream audience.

For instance we don't have a centralized way of tracking stats, or an easily recognizable progress meter (e.g. the yellow first down line in football,) add to that the difficulty of creating a sense of drama that non-FIRSTers can understand (for example it's easy to hype Yankees v. Red Sox or UF v. FSU, but not as easy to explain why 1114, 217, and 148 v. 67, 469, and 33 is a big match) all while trying to explain a complex competition culture and game dynamic that plays out over a very short period of time.

A television broadcast would be great if we knew everyone watching already had fundamental understanding of FIRST and that particular years game because then the broadcast could focus on crafting the narrative necessary for good TV.

Several have claimed internet is better for them, but haven't explained why it is better for the target audience - kids (and their parents) who need some inspiration to move forward with STEM degrees - who (by definition of 'needing inspiration') aren't searching the internet for robotics

I believe the internet is the better option for the moment because it can better facilitate the steady growth of a niche audience, and I think it can be argued that FIRSTers are still a niche audience. I would also argue that if quality broadcasts of FIRST competitions live on the internet where they can be accessed for weeks and months after they are posted, they are more likely to be found by the crowd 'needing inspiration' then if it were on television for one particular day. Also take into account that if a video lives online the ease by which it can be shared through social media increases. This gives students the opportunity to discover FIRST through their friends or family online allowing them to have an instant link to a local team or event.

I think we are definitely headed in the right direction with this and i'm looking forward to seeing what we can make happen next season.

TL;DR: FIRST is a complex and nuanced competitive event that needs the proper context and explanation in order to facilitate the audiences emotional involvement in the narrative. I believe the internet is a more conducive environment for this.