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Entertainment

Why podcast hosts feel like friends: Study explores authenticity and parasocial relationships

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Summary
Nutrition label

70% Informative

A new study published in the Journal of Radio & Audio Media sheds light on parasocial relationships.

Parasocial relationships refer to the one -sided emotional connections that audiences form with media personalities and other public figures.

Researchers identified specific traits, like spontaneity, imperfection, and personal confessions, that make hosts seem genuine and relatable.

Listeners appreciated that podcast hosts did not sound scripted or overly rehearsed.

Advertisements seemed more genuine when they felt like off-the-cuff recommendations rather than forced endorsements.

Imperfection was another marker of authenticity.

Listeners found imperfections endearing, reinforcing the idea that the hosts were being their true selves.

VR Score

71

Informative language

71

Neutral language

59

Article tone

informal

Language

English

Language complexity

71

Offensive language

not offensive

Hate speech

not hateful

Attention-grabbing headline

not detected

Known propaganda techniques

not detected

Time-value

long-living

External references

no external sources

Source diversity

no sources

Affiliate links

no affiliate links