This study examines how audiences interpret the message in the Watchdoc
documentary video Banjir Awal Maret (Early March Flood), which raises the issue
of flooding as a social and structural problem. The main focus of the research is on
residents who were directly affected by the flood in the Jakarta and Bekasi areas.
This highlights that flooding as a social and structural issue does not only
impact those directly affected, but also raises awareness among a broader urban
community. The documentary serves as a medium that connects individual
experiences to larger societal concerns, prompting reflection and dialogue.
The method used in this study is a qualitative approach with reception
analysis based on Stuart Hall’s encoding–decoding model. Data were collected
through focus group discussions FGD to explore the variety of audience receptions
that emerged from viewing the documentary.
The findings of study reveal a range of audience responses, from full
acceptance of the documentary’s message (dominant reading), to adapting the
message based on personal experience (negotiated reading), and even to rejection
of the message (oppositional reading).
Factors influenced how audiences received the message, including personal
experiences with flooding, social background, and their means of accessing
information. The documentary is considered successful raising awareness and
empathy toward disaster-related issues.