Parasocial Interaction of the Arab Audience with Podcasters: A Survey Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD Candidate, Department of Radio and Television, Faculty of Mass Communication, Cairo University

2   Professor, Department of Radio and Television, Faculty of Mass Communication, Cairo University

Abstract

     the study aims to explore the relationship between youth podcast usage and parasocial interaction (PSI) with podcasters, utilizing the Kim & Rubin (1997) model of uses and effects. A survey methodology was employed, collecting data from a purposive sample of 819 Arab youth podcast users.
The results indicated that the level of podcast usage among participants was moderate, with strong indicators of PSI with podcasters. This interaction was characterized by a critical dimension, reflecting the audience's ability to evaluate and reflect. Hypothesis testing confirmed a positive correlation between podcast usage and PSI.
Furthermore, traditional demographic factors (age, education level, and gender) were not significantly influential on the extent of podcast usage. However, it was found that younger individuals were more likely to engage in PSI. Additionally, PSI increased with lower educational and economic levels, being notably higher among individuals who were single compared to expatriates.
These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of how podcast usage affects PSI among youth in the context of Arab society, opening avenues for future research in this area.

Keywords