The silent public: reconsidering online participation and public concern in a context of Chinese podcast community

Debates about the online public sphere have long centered on the visibility of collective expression and movement. However, the thriving growth of digital technology has increasingly complicated the online participatory culture, sparking numerous controversies concerning user ecology and fostering new forms of public connectivity. We observed members of Chinese podcast communities who listened to knowledge-oriented podcasts, in which "attentive listening" is crucial for online engagement, and thus developed the concept of the "silent public." The participants perceived podcasts as an effective means of acquiring specialized knowledge and engaging with public affairs, cultivating a podcast reading culture prominently characterized by collective online listening. Podcast users shared consistent identities, collectively defined the cultural boundaries of their communities, and proactively engaged with broader public platforms. The presence of the silent public prompted us to consider an evolving public sphere constantly constructed by digital civic practices. This encouraged us to examine how individuals craft diverse digital identities within specific social structures and reshape the relationships between themselves and the public world.