Watching young people watching MTV Shuga: Lessons from the use of ‘reaction videos’ as a form of qualitative observational research (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Mass media campaigns, particularly edutainment, are critical in disseminating sexual health information to young people. Yet there is limited understanding of the authentic viewing experience or how viewing contexts influence engagement with media campaigns. Reaction videos, a popular format in online culture where users film themselves reacting to music or TV shows, can be adapted as a research method for immediate and unfiltered insights into young people's engagement with media edutainment. OBJECTIVE We explored how physical and social context influences young people’s engagement with “MTV Shuga”, a dramatic television series based on sexual health and relationships among 15-25-year-olds. We trialled reaction videos as a novel research method to investigate how young people in South Africa experience the show, including sexual health themes and messages, in their chosen viewing environments. METHODS In Eastern Cape, late 2020, purposively selected 18-24 year-old participants of an evaluation study were invited to participate in further qualitative research, specifically to video-record themselves watching MTV Shuga episodes with their “COVID social bubble”. Participants transferred their video recordings to the research team for analysis. To guide the analysis of the visual and audio data, we created a framework to examine the physical setting, group composition, social dynamics, coinciding activities, and viewers’ spoken and unspoken reactions to the show. We identified patterns within and across groups to generate themes about the nature and role of viewing contexts. We also reflected on the utility of the method and analytical framework. RESULTS Eight participants recorded themselves watching MTV Shuga episodes in family or friendship groups, mostly with siblings or cousins. Viewings occurred around a laptop in the home (living room, bedroom) and outside (garden, vehicle). In same-age groups, viewers appeared relaxed, engaging with the content through discussion, comments, empathy, and laughter. Inter-generational groups experienced discomfort, with older relatives' presence causing embarrassment and younger siblings' distractions interrupting the engagement. Scenes featuring physical intimacy prompted some viewers to hide their eyes or leave the room. While some would prefer watching DS2 alone to avoid the self-consciousness experienced in group settings, others valued the social experience and the lively discussions it spurred. This illustrates varied preferences for consuming edutainment and the factors influencing these preferences. CONCLUSIONS The use of reaction videos for research captured real-time verbal and non-verbal reactions, physical environments and social dynamics that other methods cannot easily measure. They revealed how group composition, dynamics, settings, and storylines can maximise engagement with MTV Shuga DS2 to enhance HIV prevention education. Presence of parents and the camera may alter young people’s behaviour, limiting the authenticity of their viewing experience. Still, reaction videos offer a unique opportunity to understand audience engagement with media interventions and to promote participatory digital research with young people.