Abstract
The present study is centered on some of the recent transformations that have taken place in the field of political communication, influenced by changes in the broader area of communications and, consequently, by the increasingly easier access to modern equipment and technology. These developments take the form of media, technological and emotional convergence, leading to major changes in the public and political spheres, therefore contributing to the electoral victory of certain candidates credited with smaller chances of success. The study centers on the Romanian presidential elections that took place in the autumn of 2014. Then, a large percentage of the Romanian diaspora – most of them living in Western European countries – have given their support to those candidates considered to have a more democratic approach to government in Romania. The need for change came to be regarded as a challenge, and the subsequent tensions led to the formation of a virtual group, whose members were brought together by their adherence to a shared set of values – translated into active influence in the mass and social media, electronic mail, or via telephone. This movement was so effective, that the runner-up in the first round (30.3% of the votes) won the second round of elections with a total score of 54.4%.
Highlights
Mass and social media convergence (MSMC) is currently an important field of research
The present study is centered on some of the recent transformations that have taken place in the field of political communication, influenced by changes in the broader area of communications and, by the increasingly easier access to modern equipment and technology. These developments take the form of media, technological and emotional convergence, leading to major changes in the public and political spheres, contributing to the electoral victory of certain candidates credited with smaller chances of success
We have shown that in the autumn of 2014, a large segment of the Romanian diaspora felt the need to be part of the Romanian election process, and becoming more involved than in previous elections
Summary
Mass and social media convergence (MSMC) is currently an important field of research. The phenomenon of media convergence takes shape, through which news or sometimes just rough information and rumors are picked-up by televisions or other media channels from social networks, blogs, and websites, and redistributed in the social media, in a process of ever increasing tension How was it possible for a runner-up with a clear disadvantage in the polls to win the presidential elections in Romania? Only 12% of these individuals were able to vote (377,000 people out of approximately three million), their contribution proved to be decisive in terms of expressing general discontent and dissatisfaction with the way the elections were organized in various polling stations across the EU These factors led to a total difference of 8% (600,000 votes) between the winner and the runner-up, a score that nobody anticipated: best polls for the right-wing candidate credited him with a 2-3% victory. As part of the global diaspora, Romanians quickly adopted these new means of communication, in the area of social media
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