Political Impression Management Through Direct and Mediated Communication: The 2014/2015 Croatian Presidential Elections

What is it about?

This paper examines similarities and differences between direct and mediated political candidates' communication during electoral campaigns, and answers the question: How, if at all, do candidates' techniques of impression management differ in their direct and mediated communication. The study is based on content analysis of major daily newspapers, and statements published by candidates in the 2014/2015 Croatian presidential elections on their official Facebook and Twitter accounts. The results show that candidates did not use social media to portray their personal side, humanise their image and create their image of a leader through references to their skills and qualities. Rather, this research shows that in spite of the growing importance of social media, and the willingness and skill of the politicians in employing social media, traditional media, such as newspapers, remain indispensable for providing information about political issues to citizens in this new democracy during presidential elections.

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