In a society where 86% of Internet users aged 12 to 74 use social media , it’s inevitable that traditional media outlets will focus on what’s happening there to find current affairs.

Furthermore, we must consider that internet penetration (90%) has already surpassed television use (82.4%) in Spain, according to the General Media Study . Television previously held a monopoly on audiovisual content, but now it coexists and competes with video-based social networks such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Video will account for 82.5% of global internet traffic by 2025, up from 72.3% in 2017 .

In this context, television, which is also broadcast online, is no exception to this high level of network penetration. That’s why journalists who make decisions about what is included in programming draw on the connected world to inform their content.

Television directors and their relationship with social media

In a study we conducted at Camilo José Cela University, published in the Mediterranean Journal of Communication , we interviewed the directors, executive producers, and members of the executive teams of all infotainment television programs (a television format that combines current events with entertainment and is broadcast live) in Spain. We did so to obtain their feedback on the impact social media has on their scripts.

First, everyone acknowledges that social media influences the creation of storyboards. When it comes to quantifying this influence, most interviewees admit that at least one in four topics comes from this source. For example, shocking or surprising images that go viral later become regular television content.

Social media is also a good source of testimonies on controversial topics or personal stories and anecdotes that can become newsworthy. It’s important to keep in mind that users often report on places (such as the Spanish blackout) that aren’t always accessible to television cameras. Also, many public figures no longer hold press conferences, but instead make announcements on their own platforms.

Although executives also admit they monitor social media during the live broadcast of their programs, these influences primarily the pre-screening phase. During the broadcast, the script is only altered in the event of breaking news, but not because something has gone viral.

We might think that the most influential networks are those focused on video, such as YouTube or TikTok. However, the one most frequently consulted by all executives for discussion is X (formerly Twitter, 100%), followed by Instagram (75%), TikTok (58.33%), Facebook (25%), WhatsApp (25%), and others (10%).

Social networks that executives consult when looking for topics for their program. Mediterranean Journal of Communication

It’s also important to highlight the use of WhatsApp not only as a source of information or a way to interact with viewers, but also as a means of internal communication among the entire program team.

The way of making television adapts to the digital age

The way television is produced has changed, moving away from traditional news selection to broaden its focus toward what “interests” citizens and what they themselves produce.

The difference in viewing habits among viewers is important to consider. Half of TikTok users under 30 use the platform to keep up with news and politics, and some of these users have reduced their television viewing and changed their habits.

However, what they make viral reaches the rest of the population when it jumps to traditional media like television. This closes a cycle of audiovisual consumption where viewers watch the same content but on different screens depending on their age or viewing habits.

Of course, television program crews rely on news professionals who verify the veracity of these images and their content. This isn’t the case for users who are confronted with social media posts that require their critical thinking skills to differentiate between fake and real .

As authors of the research, and also directors of the programs Espejo Público (Antena 3) and La Roca (La Sexta), we explained in a podcast that “we no longer limit ourselves to official sources; now we also look at what citizens want to tell us. In other words, the viewer is no longer just a receiver, but also a creator and, in some cases, a source of information.”

Television is no stranger to change and has had to transform itself in response to the expansion of digital culture consumption.

Author Bios: Jorge Gallardo-Camacho is Director of the Degree in Audiovisual Communication and New Media and Susana Moreno Pachón has a PhD in Communication from Camilo José Cela University and is director of television programs both at Camilo José Cela University