A study on the impact of media on 2014 Indian General Elections

 

Nabendu Bhattacharya1*, Dr. Bhaskar Bhosale2

1 Research Scholar, NIILM University, Kaithal, Haryana, India

Email: anilsharmagurgaon@gmail.com

2 Associate Professor, NIILM University, Kaithal, Haryana, India

Abstract - The media, in particular, is becoming increasingly prevalent in political discourse. Recent studies have shown that micro blogging websites such as twitter may increase political engagement, while social networking sites such as facebook can do the same. In addition to Twitter, political organizations have started using Facebook pages or groups to engage directly with individuals and encourage greater political conversation. In today's digital era, social media is a powerful tool for sharing information. In this study, researchers will examine the use of social media in political campaign management. During the 2014 midterm elections, social media had a significant impact on voting behavior. In 2014 and beyond, there were several start-ups connected to social media. It was inevitable that their tenure would finish on May 31, 2014, as the 15th Lok Sabha elections were held in April and May of 2009, respectively. The Election Commission of India (ECI) split up India's election process into many parts for security and logistical considerations. Voting behavior and enhancement of political party spending on social media for campaign management will be evaluated as part of the study.

Keywords - Media, 2014 Indian General Elections, politics, social media, etc.

INTRODUCTION

The term "media" refers to communication methods that make it easier to create, disseminate, and exchange political information on a variety of platforms and networks. During the last three decades, these have progressed at a tremendous pace and continue to do so in a unique and very often unexpected ways. Democracy and political processes are profoundly affected by new media. These have changed everything related to government works and politicians interaction. In the process, these have reshaped the whole system of political media landscape and vested with journalists whatever way the later expected to do so. They have changed the way elections were fought and the way people participate in politics [1].

Political reporting has become more difficult in the age of new media. It's a mix of old and new media, including established media like newspapers, radio and television news programmes, and new media like blogs and podcasts. New media, such as websites, blogs, video-sharing platforms, digital applications, and other kinds of social media are continually changing, in contrast to legacy media, which tends to cling to more conventional formats. Mass media aiming to give general interest news to large audiences have been joined by specialist sources that narrowcast to specific consumers. There are no editorial or institutional gatekeepers in new media, allowing information to be sent directly to individuals. As a result, the political communication process has become more unstable and unpredictable as a result of new media.

Media and Elections

The right of voters to complete and accurate information is the primary issue. Parties and candidates have the right to utilize the media to communicate with the voters. By reporting on government performance as well as election campaigns, educating voters, facilitating debate among political parties, and conducting audits of the electoral process to determine whether it is free and fair as well as efficient and effective, the media play an increasingly important role in facilitating full public participation in elections. Even in less technologically developed parts of the world, the media is increasingly determining the political agenda in a world of mass communications [2].

India would not be able to claim to be the world's biggest democracy, if it did not have an independent media and free and fair elections. It is not just the duty of the Election Commission of India to guarantee free and fair elections, but also the obligation of all democratic institutions to ensure that elections are conducted in a free and fair manner. As a democratic watchdog, the media has a responsibility to keep an eye on elections. During general elections, India's media typically reflects the country's diversity and plurality. Since the advent of television, the media has been a major player in the political process. Free elections in many countries are a relatively new phenomenon. Free and sovereign elections started to take place in Asian and African nations in the second part of the twentieth century. It wasn't until the years leading up to or after World War II that Western Europe and Latin America fully democratised. Government actions are monitored by the "Fourth Estate" of the media in Europe, North America, and Latin America.

Prior to the advent of contemporary electronic media, political information was disseminated through print media and direct human contact. Even while newspaper circulation was more than it is now, many individuals were left out because they couldn't afford to buy a newspaper or couldn't read it. Thus, the importance of face-to-face communication grew significantly. This might include public political gatherings where candidates speak or hustings when candidates debate and are questioned. Door-to-door canvassing by candidates or party workers, as well as flyers and posters prepared by the parties or candidates, would be included [3].

Media Role in Election

In a democratic society, having a well-functioning media is a must for success. Keeping an eye out for any abnormalities in the behavior of candidates, governments, or election administration organizations is the media's role. It is also their job to assist keep them responsible. Learn about your rights as a citizen, follow the campaign's progress, and express your thoughts and concerns to the candidates, the EMB, and other decision-makers in order to participate in elections. By providing a stage for the general people to convey their ideas and concerns to the candidates and the EMB, as well as the government and other decision makers, the media aids in this process [2-3].

Although the media may not be the primary source of information for voters in less technologically advanced nations, their influence on political agendas is growing. According to the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, the media plays a critical role in educating the people and keeping them up-to-date on current events. Public opinion is profoundly affected as a result. One of the best ways to influence public opinion is through the use of the media. As a result, during times of high drama, such as election seasons, the media assumes a more active role and becomes even more critical. The media's neutrality and objectivity are put to the test during elections. Politicians and government agencies should not count on the media to serve as a public relations instrument. Its primary objectives are public education and a free exchange of ideas from all points of view.

Because of this, observers often utilize media coverage and availability to determine if an election is free and fair. Increasing numbers of individuals are employing statistical and media studies and discourse analytic approaches to analyze the influence of the press on an election.

There are three basic categories of media methods for securing democratic elections [4]:

·         a campaign platform

·         a public forum for debate and discussion/public voice

·         a public educator Transparency and oversight via the media

During the 2014, in Indian general election, the term "social media" was often heard. Conventional mass media channels were heavily regulated by the Election Commission of India, therefore political parties turned to social media. For more than a decade, politicians have relied on the internet to reach out to the public in our new media-driven world. Initially, campaign goals, promises, and information were promoted through the use of a static website. Campaigns began really seeking to harness the potential of social media platforms and social networking sites to reach voters in earnest from the mid-2000s. In addition, social media has provided a new avenue for people to find and share information, therefore enhancing their awareness. In 2012, it had a huge impact on the transformation of Romanian cities' street movements. During the anti-corruption movement in India, social media also demonstrates its sway. New Delhi's social activist, Anna Hazare used social media in 2012. Politicians engage with their constituents on a variety of social media sites, urging them to protest or vote. With Web 2.0 tools at our disposal, we can now communicate with a far broader audience, including political parties, social activists, and other individuals in positions of influence [5].

Election Commission of India

For the president and vice president of India, as well as members of the Loksabha and state legislatures, including the Rajya Sabha and state council elections are held at regular intervals by an independent election commission. Indian election commission was created permanently and independently on January 25, 1950. Mr. Sukumar Sen was the commission's first commissioner. In India, the president of the country has the power to appoint additional election commissioners, including the chief election commissioner. Two election commissioners are currently on duty. As a rule, the more senior of two election commissioners is chosen to serve as the main election official. These commissioners serve terms of six years or until they reach the age of 65, whichever comes first.

General Election in India

Unless the president dissolves parliament, elections to the Lok Sabha must be conducted every five years. Assuming that the 15th Lok Sabha had been reelected in April–May 2009, its term would have ended on May 31, 2014. For the 16th Lok Sabha election [6], the Election Commission of India (ECI) organised and carried out the massive electoral base and security issues. Rajya Sabha and Loksabha are the two chambers of parliament. The upper house of parliament, the Rajya Sabha, represents the states of India, while the lower house, the Loksabha, is elected every five years by the people of India. State legislators are elected to the Rajya Sabha for six years, demonstrating that the election process is indirect and that the people of India are not directly involved in the selection of Rajya Sabha members. The Rajya Sabha is an indestructible institution.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Gupta, R. (2020)  This research looks at how media framing affected voters in India's 2014 general election. Gupta conducted a content study of evening news broadcasts to determine the most common media portrayals of political parties and candidates. The results showed that voters' opinions on many political topics and personalities were influenced by the media's agenda-setting and prejudice. Gupta also polled voters to see how media framing affected their decisions at the polls. Media framing was shown to have a substantial impact on voter sentiments and election outcomes. The complexity of the media's involvement in influencing democracy during pivotal political events may be better understood if the impact of media framing on voter perceptions is taken into account. [7].

Metkar, A. B., & Aade, A. (2020) Social media is an extremely valuable tool for communicating information in today's digital age. The purpose of this study is to look at the function of social media in political campaign management. Social media had a significant impact in influencing voter behaviour in the 2014 general elections. From 2014 forward, a slew of social media-related firms sprung emerged. As a result, different work options for the young have arisen. The current study primarily focuses on social media's effect on politics, with the researcher discussing its role, relevance, and potential. The research will also look at how social media affects voter behaviour and how much money political parties spend on social media for campaign management in different elections [8].

Rodrigues, U. (2020) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gained 303 seats in the 2019 national elections, easily surpassing the 272-seat barrier required for a majority in the Lok Sabha (lower house of parliament). The 2019 Indian election campaign was mostly handled on social media, as has been the case in past elections. Given that India's 2014 general elections were the "first social media election," it was widely expected that Facebook-owned messaging service WhatsApp will play an important role in the country's 2019 election campaigns (Rodrigues 2018). During the 2018–2019 state elections, both the BJP and various opposition parties used WhatsApp extensively to interact with their followers. In order to personalise their election campaigns, political parties have set up data analytics teams to analyse voter information at the booth and district level, but practically every regional and national leader has utilised FacebookLive to connect with their followers. The 2019 Indian general election campaign's success was largely due to social media platforms, rather than caste and religion-based candidate selection or voting trends [9].

Ahmad, T., et al., (2019) Research on the influence of social media on real-world political engagement has been ongoing over the last decade. Many people believe that social media encourages people to participate in politics both online and offline. Studying the effects of university students' involvement in politics on their political efficacy and their capacity to participate in politics in the real world is the purpose of this research. It also demonstrates the connection between political participation and awareness. We did an online survey of 200 students at the University of Narowal in Pakistan (male and female). We used Qualtrics software to distribute our survey to students and collect results. According to the statistics, most students use social media to keep up with current events. Online participation in politics has a significant influence on the effectiveness of campaigns. Social media allows netizens to take part in real-world political activities. Final findings show a strong correlation between political knowledge and offline political activity and the use of internet political acts. Younger generations in Pakistan's rural regions are particularly engaged on social media, participating in both online and offline political events [10].

Safiullah, M., et al., (2017) In the present era of technological change, many democracies are wondering whether social media can serve as a reliable indicator of election results, given that social media has become the means and goal of all communication. For this study, the primary goal is to determine whether or not the use of social media (Twitter) influenced the outcome of the 2014 General Elections. This study examined 8,877,275 social media postings from 12 Indian political parties during the course of 100 days, from January 1 to April 9 of 2014. Research shows that social media buzz influenced the result of the 2014 general elections positively and significantly [11].

Sevin, EfePresents, (2017) claimed to have developed a novel theoretical framework for addressing a weak component of public diplomacy, with an emphasis on its application to foreign policy. Providing a diverse variety of public diplomacy studies from the US, Sweden, and Turkey contributes significantly to public diplomacy and may be utilized to develop a strategy. Foreign policy may be influenced by effective public diplomacy [12].

Ahmed, S., et al., (2016) In Western nations, Twitter is the primary means of communication and campaigning for politicians. As a consequence, the internet's influence in politics is mostly unknown in fledgling democracies where internet access is limited or nonexistent. While the 2014 Indian general elections were the country's first attempt at utilizing social media for political campaigning, the use of Twitter is examined here. Human and machine analysis of 98,363 tweets made by eleven political parties in the two months proceeding up to the elections revealed the themes, functionalities, and engagement methods of their campaigns on Twitter. In a statewide macro-study, information for first-time voters and their ability to use the internet is compared to the outcomes of the election. Young and rising political parties used Twitter primarily for self-promotion and media validation, while established parties supplemented their offline strategy with it. First-time voters and the ease with which they were able to utilize the internet have also been found to be linked to the performance of the winning party in the election. Examined are the study's flaws, as well as the repercussions of these findings [13].

Deželan, T., & Vobič, I. (2016) on “(R) offers important perspectives on the use of online social networks in political discourse and how these changes affect previous state correspondence, Highlight key issues through theoretical and case studies of, this book is a central reference source for penetration of technologies is emerging in the political arena [14].

Chareen L. Snelson, (2016) Social media technology has gotten a lot of attention from a variety of users, including academics that have been publishing studies for years. From 2007 to 2013, this article gives an overview of developments in qualitative and mixed techniques research literature. A thorough literature review approach yielded 229 qualitative investigations, which were published in Social Media. 55 of these studies employed a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. A qualitative content analysis was used to access, analyze, and code the articles. After mixed method research and analytic methodologies were outlined in the subset of 55 papers given, the overall trend was determined for the complete collection of publications. Data is collected via interviews, focus groups, and surveys, which are the most often utilised research techniques. The second most often used content analysis approach is utilised by researchers who use Facebook posts, tweets (Twitter postings), YouTube videos, or other social media material as a data source. Many research, such as Creswell and Plano Clark's, have combined qualitative and quantitative data for a design. Typology of general mixing procedures (eg, converging parallel, sequential explanation successive exploration). Regardless matter how comparable the mixing technique's capacity is, the author uses terms like converging parallel, sequential explanation, and consecutive discovery in the method description. This shows that researchers who employ a blended approach to social media still utilise language associated with mixed method research methods [15].

Philip Seib, (2016), Using modern media technologies and the power of the public, on has evolved into a collaborative worldwide process. Public diplomacy is similar to diplomacy in that it aims to make the public more informed and secure than ever before. Philip Apple examines the future of diplomacy in our hyper-connected world in this lucid study. He admits that diplomatic training has focused on the front lines of last-level discussions. Today's ambassadors are expected to react to the newest issue as soon as possible, whether via a YouTube video or a Facebook post. This results in an open and reactive approach to tackling the global issue, with unpredictable effects. Seib convincingly argues for this new and all-inclusive and flexible public diplomacy, one that addresses the strategic use of new media and traditional diplomatic processes to manage increasingly complex relationships, using examples such as Iran's nuclear talks and the humanitarian crisis in Syria. Political players in the twenty-first century, both intergovernmental and non-governmental [16].

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

·         To determine new media efforts in India's 2014 general elections inspire the greatest number of votes.

·         To determine how new media campaigns in India's 2014 general elections provide political information and content to rural voters.

·         To determine if new media campaigns influenced the participation of the largest number of young voters in India's 2014 general elections.

·         To learn about the more successful awareness initiatives that were announced in the 2014 general elections as a result of new media campaigns.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The study uses both quantitative and qualitative data, with a particular emphasis on variable analysis. The findings are presented in both descriptive and numerical form, with the goal of generalizing the conclusions of the data analysis. As the data gathering strategy for this thesis, a survey questionnaire is provided. Non-experimental research methodologies are used in this work.

Area of Study

This research will interview students and faculty members at colleges and institutions in the Delhi NCR area. We cover the NCR area, including Gurgaon and Noida, for corporate sector research.

Population of the Study

The research looked at undergraduate and graduate students at universities around the country. According to political parties, the majority of social media users are between the ages of 18 and 22, followed by the so-called young, who are between the ages of 23 and 30.

Quantitative research approach

This study will do through survey technique.

Questionnaire Design

To get a sense of how respondents will respond to the survey as a whole and to individual questions, conducting pre-tests is a critical step in the questionnaire design process.

Sampling of respondents

Indian voters ages 18 to 50 who use new media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, blogs, and Twitter are the focus of the poll. Elections in India are open exclusively to citizens who have reached the age of eighteen. The top age restriction is set at 50 and higher, since this age group is expected to engage actively in the 2014 general election, which may include the use of new media.

Sampling Techniques and procedures

The purpose of stratified sampling is to acquire desirable population representation from distinct subgroups. Stratified sampling is used to choose the subjects such that similar subgroups within the population are represented in the sample. Based on these criteria, the researcher divided the sample into five subgroups: metro, urban, rural, and remote areas; undergraduate and postgraduate students; and the general public. The volunteers were then proportionally chosen at random within each subgroup/ stratum.

Data collection instruments

Procedures and measurements that create discrete numerical facts are referred to as quantitative techniques. The researcher utilized questionnaires in this case. An investigation of SNS pages was carried out in order to gather information on online campaign activities and changes in the platform's utilization.

DATA ANALYSIS

Response Rate

As defined by Fowler (2004), a study's response rate is the percentage of a population's total population that is represented in the data set being gathered. The response rate is derived by dividing the number of completed or collected questionnaires by the total number of questionnaires issued.

It was determined that Delhi NCR, Bhopal, and Sehore were the best places to conduct the study since they are major metropolises, urban regions with well-developed infrastructures, and rural areas where the populace relies on farming for their livelihoods.

Figure 1- Response rate of sample

Age Wise Respondent Distribution

Respondent age is a crucial factor in understanding their perspectives on a certain piece of work; age signifies a person's maturity or accessibility in this respect, making it more necessary to scrutinize a response.

Table 1- age wise respondent

 

Frequency

Percent

Valid Percent

Cumulative

 

Percent

18-22

 

 

23-30

 

 

31-40

Valid

41-50

50+ Total

55

10.2

10.2

10.2

188

34.9

34.9

45.1

178

33.0

33.0

78.1

27

5.0

5.0

83.1

91

16.9

16.9

100.0

539

100.0

100.0

 

For the purposes of this study, each respondent was assigned to one of five age brackets. Ages 18-22, 23-30, 31-40, 41-50, and 51+ are all included in these age groupings Table 4.2 and picture 4.3 show the respondents' ages in descending order.

RELIABILITY TEST

The surveys established and unbiased variables were submitted to a reliability test, which ensured the integrity of the survey's questions. Cronbach alpha coefficient was used as a measure of the measurement tool's reliability for each of the survey's scales, and the internal consistency technique was employed. Instruments used in fundamental research should have a dependability of at least.70, according to Nunnally (1978).

The data gathered in the field is qualitative as well as quantitative. For analysis, the qualitative data are divided into groups. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) issued to analyze the quantitative data (SPSS)

CONCLUSION

The study's goal was to find out how new media, such as social media, affected political communication during the 2014 midterm elections. Political parties and candidates from all parties in India's 2014 general election relied heavily on social media as a means of communication. However, although it worked for certain parties and politicians, social media was not universally successful, it didn't work as well for others. The use of media platforms in today's marketing campaigns is not only necessary, but also critical, since tens of millions of people are concerned about their use of social media on a daily basis. It's by far the best way to stay in touch with large groups of voters in a timely, cost-effective manner. Creating pages on social networking sites as part of a political campaign's marketing strategy has become commonplace. Given its extreme speed of communication and the number of people it can reach, social media has a significant impact on elections.

REFERENCES

1.                  Bjola Corneliu, Jiang Lu, 2015, Social Media and Public Diplomacy: A Comparative Analysis of the Digital Diplomatic Strategies of the EU,U.S., and Japan in China

2.                  Boulianne, Shelley, 2015, Social media use and participation: a meta-analysis of current research

3.                  Sharma, S. (2019). "Social Media and Political Mobilization: A Study of the 2014 Indian General Elections."

4.                  Surahman Margianta, Dinata Juhanda, 2014 TWIPLOMACY: How Twitter Affects Contemporary Public Diplomacy

5.                  Wolf Martin, 2014, Shaping Globalization, International Monetary Fund

6.                  Khan, A. (2017). "Media Bias and Agenda-Setting: Analyzing Television News Coverage of the 2014 Indian General Elections." 19, 12, p. 10, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost.

7.                  Gupta, R. (2020). "The Impact of Media Framing on Voter Perceptions in the 2014 Indian General Elections."2020.

8.                  Metkar, A. B., & Aade, A. (2020). Role of Social Media in Political Management in India. Available at SSRN 3637843.

9.                  Rodrigues, U. (2020). Political Communication on Social Media Platforms. In Platform Capitalism in India (pp. 221-238). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.

10.              Ahmad, T., Alvi, A., & Ittefaq, M. (2019). The use of social media on political participation among university students: An analysis of survey results from rural Pakistan. Sage Open, 9(3), 2158244019864484.

11.              Safiullah, M., Pathak, P., Singh, S., & Anshul, A. (2017). Social media as an upcoming tool for political marketing effectiveness. Asia Pacific Management Review, 22(1), 10-15.

12.              Sevin, EfePresents., 2016, Qualitative and Mixed Methods Social Media Research: A Review of the Literature, Scholar Works Educational Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations, Department of Educational Technology, Boise State University

13.              Ahmed, S., Jaidka, K., & Cho, J. (2016). The 2014 Indian elections on Twitter: A comparison of campaign strategies of political parties. Telematics and Informatics, 33(4), 1071-1087.

14.              Deželan, T., & Vobič, I. (2016). University of LMublMana, Slovenia.

15.              Snelson, Chareen L., 2016, Qualitative and Mixed Methods Social Media Research: A Review of the Literature, Scholar Works Educational Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations, Department of Educational Technology, Boise State University

16.              Philip Seib, 2016, Social Media and Politics Online Social networking and Political Communication in Asia