In the year 2023, we are surrounded by hyper-individualised, algorithmic-driven media platforms, that cater to our unique preferences. Massimo Airoldi describes modern social media platforms as "placeless, liquid sites" which present instant customised curations of algorithmic filtered content, which the user can interact with (Airoldi, 2018). It's as if our personal accounts have become small, specialised ecologies, carefully tailored to our highly specific interests (Eg, et al., 2023). This makes the process of discovering a distinct niche even more intricate.
As a communication student, I am deeply passionate about media production. Watching old broadcasted recordings from TV and exploring TV archives have always excited me. Recently, I discovered a strong community centred around nostalgic broadcast footage. This passion led me to create the TikTok account @ABC3Archives which focuses on posting old footage from ABC3, The Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Free-To-Air children's channel (Potter, 2013). This content has been met with overwhelming positivity, evoking childhood memories in so many viewers and amassing over 14,000 followers and millions of views so far. Highlighting the value viewers place on such content.
For myself, ABC3 represents a childhood of fewer worries, responsibilities and university assignments.
Launched in December 2009, ABC3 was home to Australian-made shows Studio 3, Prank Patrol, Good Game: Spawn Point, Bushwacked, and so much more. In 2012-13, ABC3 had an average weekly metropolitan reach among children aged 5-12 of 670,000 or 45.1%. In 2016, ABC3 was rebranded to ABCME. This was (and still is) met with disappointment from ABC3 viewers all across Australia. With many viewers feeling as if they'd lost a key piece of their childhood.
Thomas Lamarre emphasises the significant impact of the audience in actively shaping niches through agency, empathy, and parasocial relations (Lamarre, 2018) & (Moore, 2023). In essence, the community's existence hinges on the audience's participation and involvement.
The broader Aussie Nostalgia niche thrives across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Reddit. Informed by that broader niche of Aussie Nostalgia and Footage, I intend to continue using my TikTok, @ABC3Archives, to contribute to the micro-niche of ABC3 Nostalgic Footage. By researching this niche, I hope to learn best practices and trends to inspire my content.
As noted by Massimo Airoldi, the arrival of social media platforms and the ubiquity of smartphones have transformed a once dull web experience into an interactive, borderless realm. Modern platforms empower easy content sharing, allowing niche audiences to form around specific content more effortlessly. Putting the power in creators and the audience's hands to establish niche communities.
@millennialaussie Replying to @lolatyou02 good times #aussie #aussiekid #australia #2000s #nostalgia #throwback
♬ The Special Two - Missy Higgins
My journey within the ABC3 Nostalgic Footage niche has been really encouraging so far. I'm excited to research and explore what makes this niche so strong in the weeks and months to come.
References
Airoldi, M., 2018. Ethnography and the digital fields of social media. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 21(1), pp. 1-13.
Eg, R., Tønnesen, Ö. & Tennfjord, M., 2023. A scoping review of personalized user experiences on social media: The interplay between algorithms and human factors. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 9(1), pp. 1-17.
Lamarre, T., 2018. The Anime Ecology: A Genealogy of Television, Animation, and Game Media. University of Minnesota Press: JSTOR.
Moore, C., 2023. Lecture Part Three: What is a Media Niche? Lecture YouTube Video, BCM241, University of Wollongong. Viewed 24/07/2023
Potter, A., 2013. You've Been Pranked: Reality Tv, National Identity and the Privileged Status of Australian Children's Drama. Media International Australia, 146(1), pp. 25-34.
Last Updated: 16/08/2023 @ 4:22pm
