Storytelling the war. L'ascolto dei social come risorsa transmediale nel contesto della svolta algoritmica = Storytelling the war. Social media listening as a transmedia resource in the context of the algorithmic turn

Abstract

In the context of the hybrid media system, the transmedia author develops his or her creative action through social platforms characterized by programmability, popularity, connectivity, and datafication (van Dijck & Poell, 2013). Such logics may constitute a limitation for the author with respect to the ability to manage the fruition of the content once it is placed on algorithmic platforms. However, they also open up new opportunities for listening to user engagement. This is important for transmedia storytelling of controversial issues such as war that could trigger polarization or rejection by connected audiences. From the perspective of production, film and television content that addresses such issues involves longer planning time frames than the social campaigns that will accompany distribution. For these, it becomes crucial for the transmedia author to analyze the ongoing debate on the topic of the primary text, so as to positively influence the online reception of the audiovisual work. Drawing from the analysis of transmedia projects on the wars of the new millennium, the essay identifies a crucial transitional phase in which social media assume an increasingly relevant role in the design of engagement. This context distinguishes the methodological approach to social listening based on digital methods and critical metrics (Rogers, 2019, Stewart & Arnold, 2018) described in the essay. The proposal aims to move beyond net-nographic or quantitative approaches to the analysis of interactions in social media to delineate "listening" as a resource not only for devising resonant engagement strategies with respect to the storytelling of war, but as a practice that can optimize transmedia design cycles.