Reception Practices of Azerbaijani Audience for Turkish Television Programs in the Context of Religious Perception

Abstract

The subject of this study revolves around the examination of the reception processes of Azerbaijani viewers regarding their practices of watching television channels broadcasting in Türkiye within the framework of cultural studies, particularly within the context of religious perceptions. In this regard, employing the viewer-centered reception method within the tradition of Cultural Studies, the reception modes developed by participants living in various cities of Azerbaijan who watch religious content from Turkish television programs were scrutinized. To ascertain the identification of dominant, negotiated, and oppositional reading forms utilized in audience reception research, and to obtain data regarding meaning-making and reception practices concerning the contents watched by Azerbaijani viewers, a total of 4 different focus group discussions were conducted, consisting of 36 participants. These discussions took place with participants residing in the cities of Baku, Sumqayit, Ganja, and Nakhchivan in Azerbaijan who follow Turkish television channels. As a result, the study revealed that content containing religious knowledge or broadcasting religious programs through television is received by viewers through various readings. It was understood that viewers engage in diversified negotiated and oppositional readings within the content contexts, generally as participants, regarding religious content presented in various formats.