News Podcast Usage in Promoting Political Participation in Korea

Abstract

Based on an online survey of 734 news podcast users in Korea, this study analyzed how motivations for podcast use and news podcast variables affected offline and online political participation. The results showed that any motivation did not have a significant effect on offline and online participation. Rather, discussions about issues transmitted through news podcasts were a positive predictor of online participation as well as offline participation. The discussion was also a mediator in the relationship between the time spent on a news podcast and offline/online political participation. That is, news podcast use enhanced political discussions, which promoted participation offline and online. Overall, these results indicate that discussions are important in the mobilization of political participation in the era of podcast.

Keywords

• podcast
• news podcast
• political discussion
• online participation
• offline participation