City Research Online

Abstract

This article explores the patterns of transnational audiences’ engagement with global media in a digital age, focusing on experiences in Africa. It is based on a study of Nigerians’ interactions with the BBC World Service, and draws on active audience theory and Joseph Nye’s concept of soft power to assess the relationship. Using qualitative content analysis, focus groups and individual interviews, the study examines Nigerians’ use of mobile phones to interact with the broadcaster. It also analyses how the BBC deployed a multimedia strategy to widen its global reach and attract more audiences in its dual role as a news provider and promoter of Britain’s public diplomacy. The impact of digital technologies on participatory programming and audience interactivity—along with the theoretical implications—is also discussed.

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Copyright © 2022, the author. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).
Publisher Keywords:	audiences, BBC, digital media, mobile phones, public diplomacy, soft power
Subjects:	D History General and Old World > DT Africa H Social Sciences > HE Transportation and Communications H Social Sciences > HM Sociology P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General) > PN1990 Broadcasting
Departments:	School of Communication & Creativity > Journalism
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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