DETERMINING THE ANTECEDENTS OF VIEWER SATISFACTION USING BIG DATA ANALYTICS ON CHINESE WEB DRAMAS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37231/apj.2025.8.SI1.799Abstract
Chinese web dramas have gained an increasing number of viewers with differing levels of satisfaction. However, the previous studies on web drama viewer satisfaction have neglected the comprehensive research on the antecedents of this construct. Based on the Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT), Channel Complementarity Theory (CCT), and relevant literature, this study postulates that viewing behaviour and social media engagement of viewers are the antecedents of web drama viewer satisfaction. This study employs a new research method, named unobtrusive online research, to collect big data from 288 Chinese web dramas, embracing SmartPLS 4.1 to undertake the analysis. The findings reveal direct effects between the three constructs and the partial mediating effect of viewers' social media engagement. Additionally, viewing behaviour and social media engagement of viewers are proven to be antecedents of viewer satisfaction; meanwhile, social media engagement of viewers is found to partially mediate the relationship between viewing behaviour and viewer satisfaction. This study enriches CCT and UGT research on web drama and social media utilisation to gain gratification. Meanwhile, it is recommended that the web drama industry and practitioners make great use of the prominent role of social media.
Keywords: Big Data; Chinese Web Drama Viewer; Social Media Engagement; Viewer Satisfaction; Web Drama Viewing Behaviour
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