Framing Issues in Netflix Documentaries and Audience Attitudes toward Them | ||||
| المجلة العلمية لبحوث الإذاعة والتلفزيون | ||||
| Article 11, Volume 2025, Issue 33, July 2025, Page 1-43 PDF (3.75 MB) | ||||
| Document Type: المقالة الأصلية | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejsrt.2025.450231 | ||||
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| Authors | ||||
| Hann Youssef1; Shaimaa Z. Zoghaib2; Dina Maurice3 | ||||
| 1PhD Researcher at the Radio and TV Department, Faculty of Mass Communication, Cairo University. | ||||
| 2Head of the Radio and TV Department, Faculty of Mass Communication, Cairo University | ||||
| 3Assistant Professor at the Radio and TV Department, Faculty of Mass Communication, Cairo University | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Netflix, as a leading subscription video-on-demand service (SVOD), has redefined the documentary genre through its high production quality and audience-engaging multimodal framing strategies. This study investigates how the multimodal framing strategies employed in Netflix documentaries influence audience attitudes, perceived realism and watching motivations. The study employs framing theory and multimodality as its primary theoretical framework to examine the impact of key framing dimensions—framing types (episodic, thematic, and hybrid), multimodal framing techniques (visual, audio, textual, and modal salience), and modes of representations (observational, participatory, expository, performative, reflexive, and docudrama) on Netflix audience. A quantitative questionnaire (N = 250) was administered to test six hypotheses and answer four questions, utilising both descriptive and inferential statistics. Results revealed statistically significant relationships across all variables. Visual Framing had the strongest correlation with positive audience attitudes, while episodic framing was associated with the highest perceived realism and motivational effect on documentary viewing. It was also found that participatory and observational documentary modes of representation enhanced credibility and authenticity, whereas docudrama and performative modes showed comparatively lower levels of perceived realism. Netflix’s staple true crime emerged as the most preferred issue type among the Netflix audience. The findings of this study contribute to the growing body of literature on digital media framing, offering insights into how Netflix documentary practices are aligned with and shape the expectations of the digital audience in the streaming era. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Framing; Multimodality; Digital Audience Attitudes; Documentaries; Netflix | ||||
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