Discover Global Society: Call for Papers – Streaming Media: The Technology, Content, Stakeholders, and its Global Reception

Springer Nature is launching a new series of open-access journals, including the journal Discover Global Society, which was launched in 2023. Currently, Discover Global Society is indexed in DOAJ and Scopus with a CiteScore 2024 of 0.4.

Discover Global Society is a fully open-access Scopus-indexed journal, which means that its contents are freely available and can be used by a world audience. The Guest Editors (Dr. V. Vijay Kumar and Dr. Shubha HS ) invite academics and scholars to contribute research papers to my Topical Collection, whose title is “Streaming Media: the Technology, Content, Stakeholders, and its Global Reception.”

Streaming media refers to the delivery of audio, video, and multimedia content over the Internet, allowing users to access content instantaneously without downloading. Streaming offers flexibility and control to the audience, revolutionising the way content is produced, distributed, and consumed. The global media landscape allows users to watch what they want when they want, facilitated by the increasing availability of high-speed internet, affordable subscription models, and the growth of smart devices. The steady rise of platforms has drastically changed the audience’s viewing styles from traditional, scheduled broadcasting to on-demand, personalised media experiences. This behaviour raises questions about the psychological and social impact of media consumption.

High-speed internet, data compression technologies that optimise video quality, and the role of 5G are the foundation of successful streaming. While Cloud computing enables scalability to manage vast content libraries, artificial intelligence and machine learning enhance user engagement by personalised recommendations and supporting user-oriented features that improve content discoverability. Nevertheless, such customisation also draws attention to the creation of “echo chambers” and such limitations. Platforms invest in original content to lure subscribers but are also distributors for licensed media. This double role raises questions as platforms must compete globally but also localise content to appeal to specific regions. The challenge then becomes creating a balance between universal themes and culturally specific narratives.

The streaming media environment includes varied stakeholders, each influencing how the platforms operate and evolve. From subscription-based models to the rise of ad-supported platforms, issues such as user privacy, how advertisers shape content, and monetisation strategies, the stakeholders play a key role. Streaming has induced online communities that actively engage in the content ecosystem. Platforms leverage this participatory culture for promotional purposes purposes building engagement and loyalty. Such fan culture presents opportunities to explore the roles of streaming media in shaping participatory engagement and how fan communities influence the lifecycle and popularity of shows.

Streaming has democratized access to diverse content from around the world, introducing audiences to varied perspectives, languages, and narrative approaches. However, cultural differences also influence content reception, as streaming platforms encounter regulatory, linguistic, and cultural barriers in various regions.

This Collection for the Discover Global Society Journal looks for original, unpublished research papers with the following sub-themes/ possible topics (but are not limited to)

• Infrastructure, technology, and accessibility of streaming media, including the role of artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and virtual reality.

• Creator economy, production strategies, and streaming media content

• Streaming media and the fragmentation of audience demographics

• User engagement and interactive features in streaming media

• Cultural and social impacts of streaming media and its audience behaviour

• Binge-watching phenomenon and other audience reception patterns.

• Potential issues in streaming media audience habits, health, and well-being

• Audience reception of multilingual and multicultural content in streaming media

• Streaming media, fandom, and online communities

• The influence of streaming media on traditional broadcast audiences

• Regulatory and legal challenges of streaming media

• Streaming media, sustainability, and environmental impact

Keywords: Streaming Media; OTT Platforms; Media Technology; Digital Convergence; Audience Engagement; Content Personalization; Cultural Reception; Binge-Watching; Platform Economy

The submission deadline for this collection is 15 December 2025. You can submit your manuscript any time before that, and all articles published by Discover Global Society are made freely and permanently accessible online immediately upon publication.

To submit your manuscript for consideration at Discover Global Society as part of this Collection, please follow the steps detailed on this page. When submitting your manuscript, you will need to indicate that you are submitting your manuscript to a Collection. To do so, on the ‘Details’ page, select the “Streaming Media: The Technology, Content, Stakeholders, and its Global Reception” Topical Collection from the drop-down list. Authors should also express their interest in the Collection in their cover letter.

All manuscripts submitted to a Collection are assessed according to the standard Discover Global Society editorial criteria and peer review process and are subject to all standard journal policies. If accepted for publication, an article processing charge applies (with a standard waiver policy).

This article Collection is a great opportunity to highlight this important area of research, and we hope you will be able to contribute.