The Mediating Role of Interaction Between Watching Motivation and Flow of Sports Broadcasting in Multi-Channel Network

Abstract

This study aimed to grasp the structural path to watchers’ flow by applying watching motivation to multi-channel network (MCN), which is spreading as a new sports broadcasting medium and to emphasize the role of interaction in MCN. A survey for the MCN users over the age of 19 participating in sports contents was conducted. Results showed that among watching motivation factors fun, host appeal, and content appeal had significant positive effects on interaction in sports broadcasting of MCN. Interaction was also found to have a positive effect on watchers’ flow. In the relationship between watching motivation and watchers’ flow, it was shown that fun, host appeal, and content appeal had significant positive effects on watchers’ flow by a partial mediating effect of interaction. The watchers’ flow through interaction is expected to result in sustainable participation behaviors in sports broadcasting of MCN.