Developing a Paradigmatic Model for Increasing Audience Participation in Sports Television Programs

Abstract

The present study aimed to develop a paradigmatic model for increasing audience participation in sports television programs using a grounded theory approach. This applied study employed a qualitative methodology based on the systematic grounded theory approach of Strauss and Corbin. The participants consisted of 12 experts and professionals in sports media, television sports programming, communication, and sport-related media production, including university faculty members and sports program producers. Participants were initially selected through purposive sampling and subsequently through theoretical sampling, with data collection continuing until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews. After verbatim transcription, the interview data were analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding. Constant comparison was used throughout the analytical process to refine codes, concepts, and categories. The final relationships among the major categories were organized according to the Strauss and Corbin paradigm, including causal conditions, the central phenomenon, contextual conditions, intervening conditions, strategies, and consequences. The causal conditions included audience orientation, interaction and loyalty-building, innovation and improvement of sports media content, and professional empowerment and strategic development of sports television programs. The central phenomenon was identified as increasing active and reciprocal audience participation. Contextual conditions comprised cultural-social characteristics of audiences, organizational, policy, economic, and technological conditions of the media, and a competitive and transformed media environment. Intervening conditions included structural, economic, managerial, technological, infrastructural, communicational, and competitive barriers. The principal strategies consisted of active audience orientation and interaction, development of attractive and professional sports content, expansion of fan participation and loyalty, and digital transformation and media integration. The major consequences included stronger audience loyalty and community development, improved media quality and credibility, greater socio-economic value creation, and the formation of an integrated media ecosystem. Sustainable audience participation in sports television programs requires the integrated management of audience knowledge, attractive content, meaningful interaction, trust-building, digital transformation, organizational agility, and the reduction of structural and technological barriers.