Site Survey of the Aussie Nostalgic Media Niche
A Field Site?...
In research terms, a field site refers to the spatial characteristics where social processes are observed and studied. As Burrel puts it, it's the stage on which the magic happens (Burrel, 2009). For my ethnographic research, I've selected the vibrant Aussie Nostalgia niche, as highlighted in my previous post 'A Niche Driven By Memories'.
The Aussie Nostalgia niche is a sub-branch of the generalised niche of Nostalgic Media. Aussie Nostalgia is a blanket term for any content associated to past memories or experiences. It includes old TV Shows and Movies, old brands and businesses, past social trends, vintage imagery and much more.
Nostalgic media is hugely popular with numerous small and a few large accounts dominating the niche. The TikTok hashtag #nostalgia has 107 billion views, demonstrating the scale of this niche. Even bigger brands have joined in, using nostalgia as a marketing tactic. They reintroduce images, themes, and old footage and recreate past products. GWI states that nostalgia is currently popular as more people seek comfort in the unsettled world we currently live in.
Recent marketing examples include the @abcz TikTok, showcasing nostalgic ABC footage, Telstra's recent brand refresh using their classic colour scheme, and Cadbury launching a nostalgic Aussie bakery-inspired dessert range. This type of marketing is very effective, particularly for Millennial and Gen Z audiences (Joseph, 2023), and also showcases the seamless integration of digital and material realms (Markus Lundström & Lundström, 2020).
Gen Z and millennials are currently driving nostalgia in the media. With 50% feeling nostalgic for types of media, followed by 47% of millennials. Accounts like @nostalgia__hub, @thr0wback5, and @daily.dose.0f.nostalgia are dedicated to posting videos that aim to spark feelings of nostalgia.
My goal in this niche is to share unique, unseen ABC3 broadcast footage, evoking nostalgia in my audience. This includes old TV shows, ads, channel identifiers, promos, and special events. All footage is licensed and copyrighted by ABC, so has proper attribution to the media source.
Sources
This media niche relies on sharing pre-existing content from sources like YouTube, Vimeo, broadcast archives, fan sites, and ABC-affiliated media agencies. @abc3archives features a significant amount of content contributed by original creators, including motion designers, audio engineers, animators, and more.
Archival Gatekeeping
Given the niche's limited media, content can be either widely accessible or restricted to certain creators. Unearthing archived content requires dedication and research skills, often involving contacting industry insiders. This proactive approach adds fresh media to the niche, which the audience really enjoys, instead of repetitive reposts.
Gaps in Content
This specific niche's breadth is limited to the content successfully archived. Frequently, audience members express their desire for specific content clips, but unfortunately, some of these footages might be missing or lost.
References
Burrell, Jenna (2009) ‘The Field Site as a Network: A Strategy for Locating Ethnographic Research’, Field Methods, 21:2, 181–199.
Joseph, A., 2023. HOW TIKTOK AND GEN Z ARE DRIVING THE NEW NOSTALGIA IN ADVERTISING. [Online]
Available at: https://adage.com/article/creativity/new-nostalgia-advertising/2486661
[Accessed 01 08 2023].
Lundström, T. & Lundström, M., 2020. Podcast ethnography. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 24(3), pp. 289-299.
Moore, C., 2023. Lecture Part One: Developing Ethnographic Research Skills, Lecture YouTube Video, BCM241, University of Wollongong. Viewed 31/07/2023
Last Updated: 15/08/2023 @ 11:07am
