What captures attention in the risk communication process: Exploring streaming video attractiveness during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in China

Abstract

The incomplete understanding of the mechanisms that underlie the chemistry between information dissemination channels and receivers has hindered the development of efficient risk communication strategies. Hence, this study proposes an exploratory framework that evaluates streaming video attractiveness crossing message contents as well as streaming video attributes and formats. The study employs a series of statistical analyses on 235 COVID-19-related videos collected from the Bilibili video-sharing website in China during the first wave of the pandemic. The results indicate significant differences between live-action introductory videos, evidence-based presentation videos, and animations in community power, receiving capacities, message contents, and attractiveness. Notably, message content emerged as the most critical factor in determining a video's attractiveness, while animations can adjust the effects of different message types. The findings facilitate the efficient dissemination of risk messages by specifying which video formats are more effective in communicating which types of risk messages. Additionally, it highlights that the use of animations can enhance the level of attractiveness. The proposed framework and findings can be utilized in future research and practical applications to develop more comprehensive risk communication strategies.