Contextual aspects of typical viewing situations: a new perspective for recommending television and video content

In this paper, we present a better understanding of the contextual aspects that determine TV and video viewing situations in the home. The results can be used to design recommender systems algorithms and interfaces for TV and video content that better fits with different viewing situations in the home. This is achieved by taking into account these typical viewing situations and the respective manifestations of contextual factors. In a first, ethnographic, study with 12 households to better understand everyday viewing practices, we obtained insights into the relation between the type of content and the amount of attention paid, the type of content and planned versus spontaneous behaviour, the role of the structure of the household, and the way people discover content. In a second, multi-method, study with seven households, we identified seven typical viewing situations and elaborated on how four important contextual factors-time, mood, content and viewers-constitute these viewing situations or experiences in the home. After combining the results from both studies, two additional contextual aspects were added: content delivery type and viewing mode. The insights from these studies allow us to suggest opportunities for the design of recommender system algorithms that take into account the four contextual aspects and to formulate implications for the design of recommender interfaces.