Radio listening experience and audience’s social media use

This study investigates how radio audiences experience the use of social media by radio stations, focusing on the formation of emotional connections, daily media integration and the role of digital platforms in fostering a sense of belonging. The research aims to uncover not only audience behaviours but also the underlying mechanisms that shape these practices. Anchored in the philosophical framework of Critical Realism, the study adopts a qualitative methodology using focus groups. Participants were regular radio listeners and users of social media. Thematic analysis was employed to identify patterns across the data and to trace connections between observable experiences and deeper social structures. Findings indicate that radio serves as a key element in participants’ daily lives (empirical level), fulfilling emotional needs and providing continuity. Social media platforms act as extensions of this engagement, facilitating interaction and community building (actual level). At a deeper level (real), these practices are driven by underlying generative mechanisms such as the human need for connection, identity formation and emotional regulation in response to loneliness and digital saturation. Participants also voiced concerns about the erosion of epistemic authority in radio content, reflecting broader cultural shifts.