La comunicación pública de los alcaldes a través de Twitter en periodo electoral

María Cruz  López de Ayala López; Beatriz Catalina García; José Gabriel Fernández Fernández

doi:10.4185/RLCS-2016-1146

Authors

María Cruz López de Ayala López Rey Juan Carlos University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6989-866X
Beatriz Catalina García Rey Juan Carlos University http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0464-3225
José Gabriel Fernández Fernández Rey Juan Carlos University https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6860-2989

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2016-1146

Keywords:

Twitter, civil participation, municipal administration, political communication, interactivity

Abstract

This paper examines the use of Twitter as a channel of institutional communication by the mayors of provincial capitals and presidents of autonomous cities of Spain during the pre-election, election period and one week after the municipal elections of May 2015. Methodology. A content analysis of the profiles that municipal representatives acting under the banner of PP and PSOE are opened in this microblogging platform analyze the activity of mayors and followers of their accounts. Result and conclusions. Key findings include the Mayors’ making electioneering and the partisan use of their institutional accounts. The interest in local environment messages between user which demonstrates through the spread of their accounts, choosing them as favorites, as well as the commentary fulfilment. Lastly, the headlines show respect towards the “reflection day”.

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Author Biographies

María Cruz López de Ayala López, Rey Juan Carlos University

María Cruz López de Ayala López holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology (UCM) and a PhD degree in Communication Sciences (URJC). Associate Professor in the area of Advertising and Audiovisual Communication at the Rey Juan Carlos University. Participant in several funded research projects and articles, 83 of them relating to the media and children. Participant in the national R&D project titled “Analysis of the use and consumption of media and social networks on the Internet among Spanish adolescents. Characteristics and high-risk practices” and the Regional EU co-funded project titled “Programme of activities on digital vulnerability” (2016-2018).

Researcher in the areas of internet use among children and young people, television, and local political communication. Her most recent and relevant works include: “Problematic Internet use among Spanish adolescents: The predictive role of Internet preference and family relationships”, European Journal of Communication, 2015. “Twitter como plataforma de los alcaldes para la comunicación pública”, Estudios sobre el Mensaje Periodístico, 2015. “Los riesgos de los adolescentes en Internet: los menores como actores y víctimas de los peligros de Internet”, Revista Latina de comunicación social, 2014. ”Hábitos de uso en Internet y en las redes sociales de los adolescentes españoles”, Comunicar, 2013. “A vision of uses and gratifications applied to the study of Internet use by adolescents”, Comunicación y Sociedad, 2012. “Television and Infancy: five years after the Self-regulation Code”, Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 2011.

Beatriz Catalina García, Rey Juan Carlos University

Beatriz Catalina García holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the Complutense University of Madrid (1989), and a PhD degree in Communication Sciences from the Rey Juan Carlos University (2011), and another Bachelor’s degree in Political Sciences from the National Distance Education University (UNED, 2014). Guest Professor of Journalism at the Rey Juan Carlos University. Participant in the national R&D project titled “Analysis of the use and consumption of media and social networks on the Internet among Spanish adolescents. Characteristics and high-risk practices” and the Regional EU co-funded project titled “Programme of activities on digital vulnerability” (2016-2018).

Author of research publications related with local political communication and the uses of the Internet, including: “Jóvenes y consumo de noticias a través de Internet”, Historia y Comunicación Social, 2015; “Implicaciones para la educación mediática de los contactos con desconocidos en Internet”, Comunicación y Hombre, 2015;“Gabinetes de prensa como principal fuente documental de los medios de Comunicación” Index Comunicación, 2015; “Ciberespacio y ciudadanos: una mirada a través de los ayuntamientos españoles” Análisis, 2014; “Herramientas interactivas y participación ciudadana en los Ayuntamientos españoles” Ámbitos, 2013.

José Gabriel Fernández Fernández, Rey Juan Carlos University

Professor in the Rey Juan Carlos University, where he teaches multimedia journalism and Radio and television news genres, and different subjects in the Master’s degree programme in Business, sport and culture journalism. José Gabriel Fernández Fernández holds a Bachelor’s degree in Information Sciences from the University of Navarra, and a Master’s degree in Business Journalism and a PhD degree in Information Sciences from the Complutense University of Madrid. His doctoral thesis examined stock exchange information on television.

Author of several publications and international conference papers on business and sport journalism specialised. His professional experience includes three years as an editor in the local section of Diario 16 between 1995 and 1998, as well as seven years as editor of the economy section TVE’s 24 Horas channel between 1998 and 2005. Regular contributor in madridiario.es and Radio Marca. Former contributor for Radio Intereconomía as well as several magazines and radios shows specialised in sport and economy.

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