XR Journalism (Virtual and Augmented Reality) and Its Impact on Deepening Audience Empathy Toward Humanitarian Issues: Sensory Immersion Level as a Mediating Variable An Analytical and Field Study on Baghdad Today Channel and Al-Rafidain Media Network

Abstract

This research addresses a pressing and highly significant issue in the contemporary Iraqi digital journalism landscape: the use of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality technologies in immersive journalistic content production (XR Journalism) and their impact on deepening audience empathy toward humanitarian issues, with sensory immersion level tested as a mediating variable. The study integrates two complementary methodologies: content analysis examining the level of XR technology deployment and sensory immersion indicators in journalistic content produced by Baghdad Today and Al-Rafidain Media Network through a systematic sample of 260 journalistic content units over six months, and a field study utilizing a questionnaire analyzed through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) via AMOS software on a sample of 390 viewers and digital users from the Iraqi public. Content analysis findings reveal that XR technology deployment does not exceed 34.6% of analyzed content units, with statistically significant differences between the two platforms in immersion levels and immersive experience quality. SEM results confirm that XR journalism deployment significantly and positively impacts audience empathy (β = 0.53) and sensory immersion (β = 0.58); sensory immersion performs a statistically significant partial mediation role in the relationship between XR journalism and audience empathy. The research offers practical recommendations for both platform administrations, media regulatory bodies, professional journalism organizations, and academic specialists.