The podcast and its Role in Enhancing Social and Cultural Awareness: "A Descriptive Study of Finjan Podcast by Abdulrahman Abumaleh"

Abstract

This descriptive study aimed to identify the contribution of the Finjan Podcast in enhancing the social and cultural awareness of its listeners. This was achieved by understanding the nature of the podcast's content, analyzing how it addresses social and cultural issues, and revealing listeners' perceptions of the impact of this content on their awareness and knowledge. The study's problem statement stemmed from the following main question: How does the Finjan Podcast contribute to enhancing the social and cultural awareness of its listeners? To answer this question, a set of sub-questions related to the analytical study and the audience study were formulated. The study adopted a descriptive-analytical approach, utilizing two data collection tools. The first tool, specific to the analytical study, was a content analysis tool, which served as the primary instrument and was used to analyze a sample of episodes from Abdulrahman Abumaleh's Finjan Podcast. Consequently, 07 episodes were selected using purposive sampling, and the content analysis form included 08 content categories and 09 format categories. The second tool, specific to the audience study, was a questionnaire, considered a secondary instrument in the study. The electronic questionnaire was distributed to a sample of listeners of Abdulrahman Abumaleh'sPodcastFinjan, resulting in an online sample size of 85 listeners. The results of the content analysis study showed that the Finjan Podcastaddresses diverse social and cultural topics aimed at enhancing social and cultural awareness. It focuses on highlighting valuable social and cultural values, including cultural diversity, language, and innovation. The podcast also employs various persuasive techniques, and the Saudi (local) dialect is the most frequently used language in the program. As for the results of the audience study, they indicated that the majority of listeners perceive the Finjan Podcast as not being limited to a single function but rather as a psychological, social, and cognitive space simultaneously, which explains its success and widespread appeal among diverse audience segments. Furthermore, the Finjan Podcast plays an active role in enriching the intellectual and cultural lives of listeners and promoting the values of positive citizenship and active participation in society.