Shifting from an audience to an active public in social viewing: Focusing on the discussion network

The use of online media to talk with co-viewers while watching television, is dramatically increasing. The current study assesses the relationship between social viewing and cognitive elaboration of television content, particularly focusing on the discussion network (social capital and cross-cutting talk) with co-viewers. Results from an online survey among South Koreans (N = 500) suggest that the amount of social viewing does not directly increase cognitive elaboration; but bridging social capital mediates the relationship. As predicted, a positive relationship was shown between social viewing and cross-cutting talk (i.e., talking with others who have opposing opinions), and moreover, cross-cutting talk mediated the relationship between social viewing and cognitive elaboration. This study is expected to open the gateway for discussions on social viewing in the context of the discussion network.