In the past, and at times at present, the majority of entertainment could be tied to the same pattern. Let’s take the film industry as an example. First, the movie is being filmed. What follows is the editing process, and it wraps up with the release. The release often comes months, and sometimes even years after filming. The same goes for TV shows, and even news outlets prepared their stories before airing on live TV. While modern online content is different, even some of it is pre recorded to better suit audiences and appease the algorithms.
Luckily for us the model and the pattern is changing. The audience is spoiled now, and content needs to be immediate. Creators film in real time, they stream events unfold before the audience, and being a part of the experience changes the way we consume entertainment. The best part is that this change didn’t affect only one side of the entertainment industry. It is doing an invasion all around. Sports, music, news, education, gaming and gambling industry, you name it.
Live format intended to be immediate and to allow the audience to participate is taking over. It’s all thanks to technology, cloud infrastructure, and fast internet. Here’s how it went.
Why pre record content is disappearing
It is not going away for good. That’s not what we’re saying. It’s just that the audience wants something else, at the same time more, and to be different. As you probably know, movies, TV shows, podcasts, and different video libraries are still going strong. Yet, viewers spend more and more time on live content. The uncertainty it creates is more than appealing. When something is unpredictable you want to see more of it, and to find out what lies at the end. The best examples are football games that cannot be rewind, concerts that require you to be there to feel the energy, and news reporting from the spot where news is created. Sense of presence and being a part of the creation process is what draws audiences who themselves nowadays stream to be content creators more than ever though social media platforms.
Sports as pioneers of real time entertainment
The best examples of the appeal that live entertainment has are definitely sports. While highlights are available post match, everyone loves to see the game live. With the rise of the digital era, that preference only grew. When you see a modern sports broadcast, it is no longer just a simple piece of television. You have social media platforms, live stats, different camera angles, second screens, and real time commentary all in one place. Streaming platforms, once focused only on TV series and movies, now include sports too. The formula is simple: live events keep the audience engaged for longer. With sports, you never know the outcome, and that’s what makes life so interesting. They served as amazing examples for different types of entertainment, some of which we singled out below too.
Music/interaction
Real time technology touched upon music too. During the corona virus pandemic, live streaming entire concerts became a massive thing. Even when we were set free, the trend continued to live. Artists now aim to perform for both the live crowd, and those watching at home. The best part is the global connection. Fans can watch from every corner of the world, even interact with the video and other people via various features such as chats, buy merchandise online, and feel like participants without being present in person. Another major aid in making music real time were the social media platforms. Through Instagram, X, or Facebook, musicians can connect their audience, host live sessions, airing Q&A sessions, preview their new releases, and get direct with their hardcore fans. Thanks to it, fans now feel as a part of the creation process, and not just like observers.
Instant news
For better or for the worse, the news is now, on many occasions, almost instant. The shift from standard reporting to what we have today, was nothing else but dramatic. Back in the day, news cycles were daily. Schedules existed, and newspapers and broadcasters summarized major events like clockwork. Today, news is instant. Live reporting was there back in the day, but news alerts, live streams, real time analysis followed the development of technology. Also, the way we consume news has changed a lot with the presence of social media platforms. Sometimes, you have a feeling that a news broke out on X before it even happened yet. That comes with a downside, as sometimes information travels fast but their accuracy is not always on spot. Even with that, the audience now wants to be informed in a matter of minutes, and instant news is here and will hardly ever go away.
Gaming has become a live industry
If there’s an industry that benefited the most from the rapid development of technology it got to be gaming. Even in the early days, video games have always been interactive. Modern gaming took that a few degrees north. Players now expect to become part of the gameplay more and more with every new edition of a game. Developers are more than eager to serve the users with constant updates, in game and real time events tied to games, content changes, and building communities. Players react in real time both when playing, and when communicating with other players. When streaming platforms were added to the mix, things have gotten even more tied to spectators activity. Today, you have millions of viewers that tune in to watch their favorite Esports teams and players play their favorite games. Live broadcasts, Esports tournaments, and content creators focused on gaming are growing by the day. Just take a look at what’s happening on Kick and Twitch. The games remain important, but so do the interactions between creators and audience. For some time now, gaming is no longer only about playing. It is also about asking questions, participating in polls, and being part of the whole experience by even influencing decisions of the content creators.
Live casino gaming as another great example
As we said a couple of times throughout this article, real time technology truly has changed various forms of entertainment. Another one that was deeply touched by it, is without a doubt, the online casino industry. Many traditional casino games were well translated to online casinos. Yet, for some time, and especially early on, they were unable to scratch the itch of players. Many players get quickly bored by constantly interacting with automated systems that are based on random number generators, and are pure virtual game environments. With live casinos, a simple model of each live casino platform was changed for the better. It was changed for the better. Relying only on software was no longer the only available option. Now, players connect to high definition live streams, where they’re greeted by real dealers. Moving to this type of operation gave a breath of fresh air to classic games such as blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and poker. The majority of live casino games are now hosted in professional studios, with trained dealers, making the players feel as if they are once again in a traditional brick and mortar casino.
The secret behind the success of live dealer casinos lies in a combination of live video streaming, low latency, game tracking systems, and processing of data in real time. Now, players can watch each part of the game as it unfolds. Nothing happens behind the curtains, and there are no software and random number generators involved. You’re playing against good old chances once again. Each card is dealt live. Roulette never stops spinning. The dealers communicate with the players, giving the live dealer casinos true authenticity.
For players, seeing real dealers, real casino equipment, and outcomes that do not require third party verification was a true refreshment, and it reinvigorates their love for the game. Most entertainment sectors are going through the same revolution as online gambling is. Technology is making it possible for the audience to become participants from the role of observants.
Education is following the same path
Education and entertainment do not belong to the same page entirely, but you probably noticed that some of the identical trends apply to both sides. The best example is online learning. It is not a form of education, but it runs on the same technological principles that expanded the borders of what entertainment is. Early in the days when online classes were just introduced, the flow of information went only from the direction of the professors to the students. Modern technology created a possibility for the information to flow both ways. Nowadays, during a live stream from your professor, a student can ask questions, create discussions, collaborate with other students, and get instant feedback. Today, you have educational platforms that provide end users with live stream lessons, live tutoring, interactive workshops, and even virtual classrooms. Thanks to technology, learning has become more personal even when it is not conducted in person.
The technology making it all possible
As mentioned, none of it would be possible without a jump in the technology that we’ve witnessed in the past couple of years. The technology that did the most work includes various kinds of tech, but it’s not limited to the ones we’re about to single out.
For real time entertainment to work, all we needed was fast internet connections. Mobile networks and high speed broadband made it possible for data to move quicker than ever. And we’re talking about major amounts of data. Only two decades ago it would be impossible to stream high definition video to millions of users via a streaming platform. These days, access to Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime, and HBO Max is routine for the majority for all of us.
Another great improvement that took us all the way to where we are today is cloud infrastructure. Cloud computing has allowed many companies to rapidly scale their services. Just imagine millions of Netflix users trying to stream a movie or TV show all at the same time. With cloud systems put into place it is possible to answer such demands without having massive physical infrastructure. Not having to have your team, and data storages in every country where you provide your service made live entertainment what it is today.
While cloud computing and fast internet played a vital role, the majority of it wouldn’t matter at all if it wasn’t for the growth in the development mobile devices. Today. There’s not a single person who isn’t using a mobile device. With a smartphone in your hand, and an internet connection, you can be both a viewer and a broadcaster at the same time. When you have a mobile device on you, it is possible to stream live events at any place, anytime. You can create videos and go live on YouTube and Instagram for example, and share a video call with anyone. Entertainment is for everyone, by anyone, thanks to mobile technology.
Lastly, and this has been happening in recent months, and during the past few years, the development in AI development has really been making strides through the entertainment niche. While people were afraid that artificial intelligence is going to replace live experience, it has actually aided in its development. Various AI tools aid content creators in moderation of their content, generate captions, translate content and conversations, and even assist creators during the streaming process. Ai helps working in real time instead of replacing it as many suspected it would.
Bottom line
Since its inception, whenever that was for the first time, entertainment kept on evolving. Today, it is moving toward real time experiences more than ever. Sports are more interactive than ever, and are carrying the mantle even today in addition to being pioneers in real time experiences. Right behind them we have music, education, gaming, and online gambling following closely. In years to come, we can expect for every of these domains to grow parallelly with the continuous growth of technology as they have so far.
This content is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. AFP editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.
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