Digital Literacy of Podcast Audience

Abstract

The study’s objectives are 1) to describe suitability of podcast contents 2) to explain digital literacy of podcast audience. The research using qualitative research methodology. The content analysis is conducted by sampling podcast programs in Thai language during December 2017 to February 2018, totaling of 104 episodes. Then, the 4 different focus groups of podcast audience including both male and female of working-age group and high school group are conducted, in which each group contains around 6 - 7 people.
The result of content analysis indicates that an inappropriate use of language might lead to inappropriate learning of language, which is frequently found in conversational programs. Regarding to behavioral and violence concern, the research shows that inappropriate and aggressive conversation, inserted in but not main contents, is often founded in the programs. In addition, sexual matter is found that the inappropriate sexual content has contained with explicit and implicit sexual conversations
The focus group’s result indicates the digital literacy of podcast audience. In terms of accessibility, the podcast audiences are able to access to the podcast content, to manage and control by themselves, whilst in terms of comprehension, the audiences are able to understand and distinguish the quality, reliability and program host’s intention. They are also aware that non-essential elements are added in order to make the content to be more attractive. Furthermore, in terms of analysis and evaluation, the podcast audiences are able to analyze and evaluate the benefits, drawbacks, values, dangers of trafficking content, and commercialized content, as well as the inappropriate use of language in conversational program such as sexual abuse, aggressive behavior and violence. At last, in terms of response, it is found from the group of study that some of podcast audiences prefer these media and seems to behave responsively according to provider’s lead, which this audiences can also provide explanation behind their deference in this study.