Exploring the Social Television Landscape and User Engagements: Preliminary Findings from a Northern Nigerian Study

Abstract

This paper presents preliminary results from a study investigating the usage patterns and dynamics of social television (TV) among university students in northern Nigeria. Grounded within the positivist research paradigm and adopting a quantitative approach, the study examines the frequency and manner in which university students engage with social TV content, focusing on the prevalence of smartphone usage and the activities carried out while watching TV. A survey methodology employing a questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample of 774 respondents drawn from six universities in northern Nigeria. The preliminary findings reveal a significant reliance on smartphones for TV viewing, with the majority of respondents reporting frequent engagement with social TV content. Activities such as chatting on social media platforms, browsing the internet and online shopping were prevalent among participants, highlighting the evolving nature of media consumption habits among digitally savvy audiences. The study underscores the transformative impact of social TV engagement on media consumption patterns and provides actionable recommendations for stakeholders in the media industry to enhance the social TV experience for audiences.