Visual aspects of online political communication in Belarus during the political crisis of 2020

An empirical study of the visual political communication via Telegram channels during the political crisis in Belarus in 2020 is introduced. The method of qualitative and quantitative content analysis was applied to 625 images and videos retrieved from competing Belarusian Telegram channels during t...

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Main Author: Kristina L. Zuykina
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University) 2023-12-01
Series:RUDN Journal of Studies in Literature and Journalism
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.rudn.ru/literary-criticism/article/viewFile/38100/23174
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author Kristina L. Zuykina
author_facet Kristina L. Zuykina
author_sort Kristina L. Zuykina
collection DOAJ
description An empirical study of the visual political communication via Telegram channels during the political crisis in Belarus in 2020 is introduced. The method of qualitative and quantitative content analysis was applied to 625 images and videos retrieved from competing Belarusian Telegram channels during two weeks before and after the election day of August 9, 2020. The results revealed both the general characteristics of the visual political communication in Belarusian Telegram sector and the way opposing political forces used visual content in the period under analysis. The pro-government channels maintained a value-oriented approach, engaging visuals to broadcast Belarusian values and state power symbols. Their visual content involved prominent public and political figures. The opposition channels applied visuals to denounce the authorities and their supporters, as well as to mobilize the opposition-minded Telegram users. They employed a greater variety of visual forms, relying mostly on user-generated content, e.g., live reports from protest sites. Visuals with protesting crowds, casualties, and opposition symbols were aimed at evoking a sense of involvement: they were meant to become triggers for transiting from online activism to actual offline protests.
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spelling doaj.art-6d102ce4504b488dac8dbff602ec987b2024-03-11T11:33:28ZengPeoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University)RUDN Journal of Studies in Literature and Journalism2312-92202312-92472023-12-0128478078910.22363/2312-9220-2023-28-4-780-78921019Visual aspects of online political communication in Belarus during the political crisis of 2020Kristina L. Zuykina0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2199-197XLomonosov Moscow State UniversityAn empirical study of the visual political communication via Telegram channels during the political crisis in Belarus in 2020 is introduced. The method of qualitative and quantitative content analysis was applied to 625 images and videos retrieved from competing Belarusian Telegram channels during two weeks before and after the election day of August 9, 2020. The results revealed both the general characteristics of the visual political communication in Belarusian Telegram sector and the way opposing political forces used visual content in the period under analysis. The pro-government channels maintained a value-oriented approach, engaging visuals to broadcast Belarusian values and state power symbols. Their visual content involved prominent public and political figures. The opposition channels applied visuals to denounce the authorities and their supporters, as well as to mobilize the opposition-minded Telegram users. They employed a greater variety of visual forms, relying mostly on user-generated content, e.g., live reports from protest sites. Visuals with protesting crowds, casualties, and opposition symbols were aimed at evoking a sense of involvement: they were meant to become triggers for transiting from online activism to actual offline protests.https://journals.rudn.ru/literary-criticism/article/viewFile/38100/23174visual communicationvisual activismtelegram channelscontent analysis
spellingShingle Kristina L. Zuykina
Visual aspects of online political communication in Belarus during the political crisis of 2020
RUDN Journal of Studies in Literature and Journalism
visual communication
visual activism
telegram channels
content analysis
title Visual aspects of online political communication in Belarus during the political crisis of 2020
title_full Visual aspects of online political communication in Belarus during the political crisis of 2020
title_fullStr Visual aspects of online political communication in Belarus during the political crisis of 2020
title_full_unstemmed Visual aspects of online political communication in Belarus during the political crisis of 2020
title_short Visual aspects of online political communication in Belarus during the political crisis of 2020
title_sort visual aspects of online political communication in belarus during the political crisis of 2020
topic visual communication
visual activism
telegram channels
content analysis
url https://journals.rudn.ru/literary-criticism/article/viewFile/38100/23174
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