PR, positioning and a carbon tax: applying a new conceptual framework to the analysis of polarised political positions
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This study examines the role of public relations in constructing mediated forms of communication- specifically the use of the social media site YouTube by the Australian Government and the Opposition to position the introduction of a carbon price. The study found that both parties used YouTube to support their positions that a carbon price was good for Australia (Government), or bad for Australia (Opposition). The Government’s supporting storylines centred on the financial opportunities that the scheme would offer in terms of new energy technologies. Contrastingly the Opposition’s storylines played into community concerns about the global financial crisis, with the crisis used as a rationale for not introducing a carbon tax. These storylines/positions were strongly supported by visual communication, with both Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Opposition leader Tony Abbott self-positioning as authority figures.
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PR, positioning and a carbon tax: applying a new conceptual framework to the analysis of polarised political positions
- 1. PR, positioning and a carbon tax: applying a new conceptual framework to the analysis of polarised political positions Deborah Wise, University of Newcastle, Australia
- 2. Political context • Australia has the highest per capita carbon emissions in the OECD • The Australian Labor Party (ALP) Government and the Opposition are equally committed to reducing carbon emissions by at least 5 % by 2020 • In the world’s first climate change election positioning of the ALP as the party of reform willing to act on climate change led to change of Govt. • However, since then, public support for action on climate change has steadily declined, with little research into this shift/phenomenon
- 3. Research approach • Examines the introduction of a carbon price as a strategic discursive device used to position political leaders/parties & Australia in a globalised context • Applies the conceptual framework for intentional positioning in public relations (James, 2010, 2011; Wise & James, in press) as a method to guide a positioning discourse analysis (PDA) • Examination of YouTube videos as a site of discursive positioning • RQ1 How was a carbon price/tax positioned by Gillard and Abbott? • RQ2 How was the social media video-sharing website YouTube used as part of this positioning strategy?
- 4. Positioning & PR • Social constructionist/social psychological approach to researching social interactions • Positioning in PR is “the strategic attempt to stake out and occupy a site of intentional representation in the contested space where meanings are constructed, contested and reconstructed” (James, 2011, p.7). • Four core domains: Positioning goal Positioning purpose Positioning type Positioning triangle
- 5. Goal, Type & Purpose Domains Gillard/ALP Abbott/Opposition Goal Domain To position as the legitimate government Positioning Type Domain Self positioning, deliberate other positioning, forced self positioning Positioning Purpose Domain Exemplification (morality/legitimacy discourses) Exemplification (immorality/illegitimacy discourses)
- 6. Positioning Triangle Domain Gillard Abbott Position A carbon price is good for Australia A carbon tax is bad for Australia Discourses/storylines used to support the position taken ‘Big polluters will pay’ [economic discourse/individual level] A carbon price will fund the development of new technologies [economic vision discourse/national level] Australia cannot afford to not introduce a carbon price [economic vision discourse/international level] Prices will rise [economic risk discourse/ individual level] A carbon tax will cause businesses to close [economic risk discourse/ national level] Australia cannot risk a carbon tax at a time of global financial crisis [economic risk discourse/ international level]
- 7. Positioning Triangle Domain Gillard Abbott Speech/act action (enactment of position taken) • Address to the Nation • National Press Club Address: Price on Carbon • Introduction of the Clean Energy Bill 2011 to the Federal Parliament • Address to the Nation • Address to the No Carbon Tax Rally • Address to the Convoy of No Confidence Rally http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEjzNLgMNV8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBkNSSCgeUE
- 9. Discussion • Abbott’s use of YouTube was much more strategic in terms of depicting him as being on the side ‘everyday’ Australians & his economic risk discourses – when tied into pre-existing concerns over the GFC- were easily understood & over-rode previous societal values about the importance of acting on climate change • Gillard was much more restricted in terms of where she spoke and the discourses available to her & her economic vision discourses were not sufficiently tied to pre-existing attitudes or experiences. This suggests her positioning strategy was ill-advised.
- 10. Conclusion • The use of economic risk discourses, when tied to broader GFC discourses, were shown to be an important influencer in shifting public opinion over action on climate change • Use of YouTube to conduct a visual discourse analysis underlined the importance of visual communication in the digital age • Using a framework to conduct a positioning discourse analysis facilitated an in-depth analysis. It demonstrated the dynamism of positioning efforts of both sides in a debate, as they each sought to strengthen their own position while destabilising the opposition’s position
Editor's Notes
- Positioning is a social constructionist and social psychological approach that has been used to research social interactions between individuals, groups, and even nations. However, none of these studies addressed the strategic nature of public relations campaigns whereby positioning refers to “the strategic attempt to stake out and occupy a site of intentional representation in the contested space where meanings are constructed, contested and reconstructed. The positioning framework consists of 4 core domains: Positioning goal, Positioning purpose, Positioning type, and the Positioning triangle.
- Both Gillard and Abbott had identical goals of wanting to discursively position themselves as the legitimate government. Using the positioning framework I was also able to map the ways in which Abbott and Gillard variously self positioned, deliberately positioned one another, and were forced into adopting a particular position. One way in which they differed markedly was that whereas Gillard called on moral and legitimacy discourses in relation to the Government, Abbott primarily used immorality/illegitimacy discourses against Gillard and the Government.
- Key to positioning theory is how a position is enacted and in my study I have used YouTube videos to conduct a discourse analysis of how both politicians variously enacted their positions over action on climate change.
- Julia Gillard’s ‘Address to the Nation was filmed by the National broadcaster and was televised nationally at 6.30 pm on Sunday night (prime viewing time) across two free to air television channels, the subscriber TV channel ‘Sky’, and on three federally funded public television channels – Although Abbott argued that he be given equal air-time there is no evidence that this was granted however there was a lot of air-time devoted to analysis after the PM’s announcement and it is likely that some of his Address was screened during this time. What are notable in both of these episodes are the differences between the settings in which they were enacted. Both Gillard’s and Abbott’s ‘Addresses to the Nation’ commence in the same way with background image of Parliament House overlayed with the Australian Coat of Arms and beneath this text “Address to the Nation”. However, while Abbott is obviously sitting in an office it is less obvious where Gillard is situated. Red flowers, photos and various nick-knacks (none of which are in clear focus apart from the flowers) highlighted by punches of aqua and yellow and bare spaces on a wall of wooden irregular shelving suggesting a much more informal discourse than that of Abbott. Gillard is filmed sitting much further back from the camera and to her left there is a draped Australian flag but this is hardly noticeable. Gillard often smiles slightly whilst talking and overall the discourses suggested are femininity, informality, and openness and this relatively ‘soft’ enactment of a major policy decision was a discursive tactic possibly designed to ‘soften the blow’ of the introduction of a carbon price for everyday Australians many of whom were already wary of the scheme due to the global financial crisis. In contrast Abbott sits much closer to the camera and doesn’t smile suggesting a discourse of earnestness as opposed to Gillard’s informality. Also different is the use of the Australian flag which features prominently to Abbott’s right, and although both leaders have bookshelves as backgrounds Abbott’s shelves are regular and contain nothing apart from matching blue-bound books without any bare spaces. The books, the flag, and Abbott’s striped tie are all the same or similar tones of blue (a cultural symbol of maleness and conservative politics) and this suggests, when taken in combination, an overall discourse of professionalism, masculinity, conservatism, and authority, and this is in keeping with the often assertive speech acts enacted in Abbott’s speech.
- Abbott’s use of YouTube was much more strategic in terms of depicting him as being on the side of ‘everyday’ Australians and his economic risk discourses, when tied to existing concerns about the GFC, were easily understood and over-rode previous concerns about the need to act on climate change. Gillard, as perhaps befits a Prime Minister, was much more restricted in terms of where she spoke and the discourses available to her & her economic vision discourses were not sufficiently tied to pre-existing attitudes or experiences. This suggests her positioning strategy was ill-advised. It also appears that gender came into play in these episodes and further research is needed to understand the importance of these discourses within these contexts.
- This project is a work in progress however work to date suggests that the use of economic risk discourses, when tied to broader global GFC discourses, were an important influencer in terms of shifting public opinion over action on climate change Using YouTube to conduct a visual discourse analysis also underlined the importance of visual communication in the digital age and using a framework to conduct a positioning discourse analysis permitted a more in-depth analysis than some other methods might allow, It also demonstrated the dynamism of positioning efforts of both sides in a debate, as they each sought to strengthen their own position while destabilising the opposition’s position.