The aestheticisation of politics Lecture 9

Perception Politics “ Princes do not need to possess all qualities necessary for good governance, but they should certainly appear to possess them” Niccolo Machiavelli The Prince c1498

“ Princes do not need to possess all qualities necessary for good governance, but they should certainly appear to possess them”

Niccolo Machiavelli The Prince c1498

Perception Politics (De Vries) Political Identity Personality Impressions Candidate Image Political Impression Management Perception Emotion Cognition Impression Formation Voter Attitudes

Television/Radio and the pictures in our heads The Magic Mirror (S. Gunness) Television tells us about our society and reflects what we like and don’t like, it informs and beguiles Whether it still solely plays that role depends on the individual, their media use, their level of education and what they want to see reflected at them (is the Internet taking over?)

The Magic Mirror (S. Gunness)

Television tells us about our society and reflects what we like and don’t like, it informs and beguiles

Whether it still solely plays that role depends on the individual, their media use, their level of education and what they want to see reflected at them (is the Internet taking over?)

Observations Research among the young Interested in political issues Not interested in news about politicians Politicians seek to celebritise themselves Offer an alternative perspective of them Try to connect with masses But are we bovvered ? Research among the young Interested in political issues Not interested in news about politicians Politicians seek to celebritise themselves Offer an alternative perspective of them Try to connect with masses But are we bovvered ? Research among the young Interested in political issues Not interested in news about politicians Politicians seek to celebritise themselves Offer an alternative perspective of them Try to connect with masses But are we bovvered ?

Research among the young

Interested in political issues

Not interested in news about politicians

Politicians seek to celebritise themselves

Offer an alternative perspective of them

Try to connect with masses

But are we bovvered ?

Research among the young

Interested in political issues

Not interested in news about politicians

Politicians seek to celebritise themselves

Offer an alternative perspective of them

Try to connect with masses

But are we bovvered ?

Research among the young

Interested in political issues

Not interested in news about politicians

Politicians seek to celebritise themselves

Offer an alternative perspective of them

Try to connect with masses

But are we bovvered ?

Celebrity Politicians Project an aesthetic character Or is that synthetic Allow the appearance of authenticity Humanisation / Symbolic Representation Take politics into other fora / media Dumbing down / Infotainment ‘ infoenterpropagainment ’ Rachel Caulfield Are these appropriate?

Project an aesthetic character

Or is that synthetic

Allow the appearance of authenticity

Humanisation / Symbolic Representation

Take politics into other fora / media

Dumbing down / Infotainment

‘ infoenterpropagainment ’ Rachel Caulfield

Are these appropriate?

The challenge for politicians! Prominence is the oxygen of politics If you are not on Television you don’t exist So... Do you accept any offer of TV coverage? Do you only choose ‘serious’ programmes? What will get you the better image? Do politicians ever look good on TV?

Prominence is the oxygen of politics

If you are not on Television you don’t exist

So...

Do you accept any offer of TV coverage?

Do you only choose ‘serious’ programmes?

What will get you the better image?

Do politicians ever look good on TV?

New Media – New Opportunities

Alternative impressions

Jackson & Lilleker, forthcoming (Book to be published 2011)

The Online Environment Cluttered Open Access Mediated and Unmediated Can we distinguish always? A site for numerous battlegrounds

Cluttered

Open Access

Mediated and Unmediated

Can we distinguish always?

A site for numerous battlegrounds

Web 1.0 versus 2.0 Web 1.0 Information provision Static, one to many communication Non-adaptive/adaptable Web 2.0 conversations, interpersonal networking, personalisation and individualism relationships, communities & interaction User led and generated An architecture of participation with a flat hierarchy

Web 1.0

Information provision

Static, one to many communication

Non-adaptive/adaptable

Web 2.0

conversations, interpersonal networking, personalisation and individualism

relationships, communities & interaction

User led and generated

An architecture of participation with a flat hierarchy

Comfort Zones Main Local and national press, television Understand shared needs despite hostility Secondary Preparation of material for Web 1.0 Creating websites/e-newsletters Web 2.0?

Main

Local and national press, television

Understand shared needs despite hostility

Secondary

Preparation of material for Web 1.0

Creating websites/e-newsletters

Web 2.0?

Web 2.0 for political communication Advantages Interactivity – direct conversation Connectedness - relational Participatory deliberation Disadvantages Losing control Levelling the playing field No hierarchy or guaranteed credibility

Advantages

Interactivity – direct conversation

Connectedness - relational

Participatory deliberation

Disadvantages

Losing control

Levelling the playing field

No hierarchy or guaranteed credibility

The drive for a digital strategy “ The goal of developing a digital strategy is to turn anxiety into advantage, by replacing current planning and strategic activities with new ones better suited to a business environment populated by killer apps” (Downes & Mui, 2000:11) Suggests embracing or rejecting! But that rejection is not really an option

“ The goal of developing a digital strategy is to turn anxiety into advantage, by replacing current planning and strategic activities with new ones better suited to a business environment populated by killer apps” (Downes & Mui, 2000:11)

Suggests embracing or rejecting!

But that rejection is not really an option

Politics on the Web Majority is PR based Websites promoting constituency service Web 1.0 informational role Email to subscribers E-newsletters among supporters Editing entries on Wikis

Majority is PR based

Websites promoting constituency service

Web 1.0 informational role

Email to subscribers

E-newsletters among supporters

Editing entries on Wikis

Adventures in Web 2.0 MySpace, Facebook and the social network Blogging Facebook apps Kerry McCarthy – Twitter Tsar Second Life

MySpace, Facebook and the social network

Blogging

Facebook apps

Kerry McCarthy – Twitter Tsar

Second Life

The potential for political communication “ A “private-collective” model of innovation where [participants] obtain private rewards from [contributing] for their own [and the community’s gratification], sharing their [ideas], and collectively contributing to the development and improvement of [policy]” Adapted from Krogh, Spaeth & Lakhani 2003

“ A “private-collective” model of innovation where [participants] obtain private rewards from [contributing] for their own [and the community’s gratification], sharing their [ideas], and collectively contributing to the development and improvement of [policy]”

Adapted from Krogh, Spaeth & Lakhani 2003

Web 1.5 – impression management You can ‘meet’ the politician, but You do not get the chance to talk

Thoughts To what extent should politicians aestheticise their personality? Can that be done in a mass-mediated environment? Is Web 2.0 the answer and why? Is current adventures in Online Political Communication about interacting or getting media coverage? – what is appropriate?

To what extent should politicians aestheticise their personality?

Can that be done in a mass-mediated environment?

Is Web 2.0 the answer and why?

Is current adventures in Online Political Communication about interacting or getting media coverage? – what is appropriate?