Social Media Logic and Its Impact on Political Communication During Election Times

Abstract

Social media are often perceived as platforms enabling more direct connection between politicians and citizens. While there is certainly potential for this, it is also important to investigate how these social media platforms are impacting the role and working of the mainstream media. While media logic is a well-studied phenomenon, less is known about social media logic. This contribution questions to what extent social media alter politicians’ dependency on mainstream media and/or generate new dependencies. Social media, in this context, are considered as non-neutral platforms, which are distinct from, yet interact with, mainstream media. The research presented draws on a qualitative approach focusing on the analysis of politicians’ use of Facebook and Twitter, including in-depth interviews with them about their social media behavior. We are particularly interested in how social media function and are perceived in relation to the politicians’ campaigning objectives. In this context, specific attention is given to the use of social media and (1) mainstream media coverage; (2) virality on social media; (3) the power of “likes”; (4) content as a process; and (5) the selectivity of audiences. Despite the “small data” approach and the exploratory character of the research presented within this chapter, our analysis does enable us to reflect upon the interdependencies that the hybrid media ecology produces.