Sensory extension, imagined scenes and affective connection: A qualitative analysis of Chinese documentary podcast Page Seven

Abstract

Documentary podcasts are attracting people’s attention as a form of podcast. These non-fictional aural texts require substantial effort and time to produce, presenting true stories to the audience through the utilization of recording technology and sound design, resulting a distinct aesthetic. Taking Page Seven as a case study, the objective of this article is to examine the process of auditory scene interaction between the audience and the aural text in documentary podcasts. Page Seven was founded in 2012 and is recognized as the first audio documentary podcast in Mainland China. This article posits that documentary podcasts engage the audience’s visual perception in addition to their auditory perception. The realistic soundscape and the listener’s imagination merge to form the auditory scene. By applying the uses and gratification theory and narrative transportation, this study reveals that Page Seven allowed the audience to fulfil multiple needs, including affective needs. This study attempts to explain the communication process of documentary podcasts from three aspects: sensory, imagination and emotion, thereby enriching the cultural landscape within the realm of documentary podcasts.