Azerbaijani TV Viewers' Practices of Watching Turkish Television Programs In The Context of Cultural Studies: Turkish Culture And Tourism

Abstract

The aim of present study is to explore the reception processes of Azerbaijani viewers’ of television channels broadcasting from Turkey within the framework of Cultural Studies pertaining to Turkish culture and tourism. Employing the audience-centered reception approach within the tradition of Cultural Studies, this study examines the reception patterns exhibited by participants residing in diverse cities in Azerbaijan who watch Turkish television programs. Four separate focus group interviews involving a total of 36 participants were conducted to investigate the dominant, negotiated, and oppositional styles of perception prevalent in audience reception research, thereby gathering data on the interpretive practices and reception behaviors of Azerbaijani viewers regarding the content they consume. The findings were thematically synthesized to elucidate the viewers’ reception styles. Consequently, the research indicates that diverse television content is interpreted by the audience through various reception frameworks concerning Turkish culture and tourism incentives. It was observed that Azerbaijani viewers, watch a broad spectrum of Turkish television programs, engage in understanding Turkish culture, with the majority of participants demonstrating a propensity towards dominant interpretations.