Explore the Underlying Factors Motivating Viewers to Watch PersianspeakingSatellite Channels

The variety of programs and the complexity of media can have a role in making viewers prefer one channel to the other one,but this preference is largely due to the amount of satisfaction on the part of the viewer towards a particular medium. To thisend, this study sought to explore the underlying factors motivating viewers to watch Persian-speaking satellite channels. Theparticipants were 458 viewers of satellite channels, chosen based on purposeful sampling technique from all the residents ofQaemshahr, a city in north of Iran. This study was a survey, which used a questionnaire, developed and validated by theresearcher, to gather data. Non-parametric techniques were also used to analyze the data in this study. The descriptivefindings illustrated that most of the viewers tended to watch satellite channels between 3 to 4 hours, on average, every night.The results also showed that viewers were more interested in such entertaining programs as movies, TV series, music, andgame shows. They were also eager to watch such amusing programs as sports events, scientific programs, news programs,news commentaries, and documentaries to satisfy their needs. The findings also revealed that gender was a determiningfactor in the choice of programs and affected the manner viewers used satellite channels. According to the results, menmostly used satellite channels more than women to keep updated about news and political reports; whereas, women tended towatch them more than men for their social needs.