Social Conversations About Documentaries on YouTube: Studying the Impact of Digital Platforms on Public Opinion in Kazakhstan

The purpose of this article is to examine how documentaries produced by Kazakh television channels contribute to audience discussions and social discourse on YouTube, with particular attention to issues of culture, history, and politics. In the context of the rapid digitalization of Kazakhstan’s media landscape, television documentaries now circulate widely on YouTube and trigger new forms of social conversation, making the study of their impact on public opinion increasingly relevant. The research is based on a quantitative content analysis of official YouTube channels of Qazaqstan TV and Jibek Joly TV between June 2023 and June 2024. Using VidIQ analytics and official statistical sources, the study measured views, likes, comments, approval, and engagement rates, and classified user comments into thematic categories. The findings show that historical and cultural documentaries generate the highest levels of interaction and often stimulate expressions of national pride, while political documentaries attract significantly fewer responses but remain present due to state policy priorities. Audience behavior differs by age, with older viewers engaging more actively than younger ones, and reciprocity between viewers and content creators was found to be limited. The study concludes that YouTube offers Kazakh television channels an effective platform for extending the impact of documentaries beyond broadcast, fostering civic dialogue, and shaping cultural identity. However, to strengthen engagement, broadcasters need to adapt television content to platform-specific formats, incorporate interactive elements, and develop integrated multimedia strategies that reflect the expectations of diverse audiences.