Public Sphere and Misinformation in the U.S. Election: Trump’s Audience and Populism Indicators in the COVID-19 Context

(1) In a context of an unprecedented global pandemic, an analysis of the effects of political disinformation on audiences is needed. The U.S. election process culminating in the official proclamation of Joe Biden as president has led to an increase in the public’s distrust of politics and its leader...

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Main Authors: Concha Pérez-Curiel, Ricardo Domínguez-García, Gloria Jiménez-Marín
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-06-01
Series:Journalism and Media
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5172/2/3/20
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author Concha Pérez-Curiel
Ricardo Domínguez-García
Gloria Jiménez-Marín
author_facet Concha Pérez-Curiel
Ricardo Domínguez-García
Gloria Jiménez-Marín
author_sort Concha Pérez-Curiel
collection DOAJ
description (1) In a context of an unprecedented global pandemic, an analysis of the effects of political disinformation on audiences is needed. The U.S. election process culminating in the official proclamation of Joe Biden as president has led to an increase in the public’s distrust of politics and its leaders, as public opinion polls show. In this context, the change in the electorate’s attitude towards Donald Trump, throughout the legislature and especially after the elections, stands out. So, the objective of this research was to determine, through the measurement of surveys, the views of the electorate on the behavior of the Republican candidate and the possible causes that determine the loss of confidence in his speeches and comments. (2) The methodology, a comparative quantitative-qualitative approach, analyzed the responses collected by Pew Research waves 78 and 80 (2020 and 2021). Specifically, the surveys analyzed were 11,818 U.S. adults in the case of the American Trends Panel 2020 and 5360 in the case of the same panel for 2021. (3) Results showed the change of position of the electorate, especially Republicans, in the face of the policy of delegitimization of the process and Trump’s populist messages on Twitter. (4) Conclusions pointed in two directions: society has decided not to trust Trump, while at the same time showing distrust about the correct management of the electoral ballot.
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spelling doaj.art-79838b3cc8ff457fb7acc4a64a063a6e2023-11-22T13:49:30ZengMDPI AGJournalism and Media2673-51722021-06-012333535010.3390/journalmedia2030020Public Sphere and Misinformation in the U.S. Election: Trump’s Audience and Populism Indicators in the COVID-19 ContextConcha Pérez-Curiel0Ricardo Domínguez-García1Gloria Jiménez-Marín2Journalism II Department, Faculty of Communication, University of Seville, 41012 Seville, SpainJournalism II Department, Faculty of Communication, University of Seville, 41012 Seville, SpainAudiovisual and Advertising Department, Faculty of Communication, University of Seville, 41012 Seville, Spain(1) In a context of an unprecedented global pandemic, an analysis of the effects of political disinformation on audiences is needed. The U.S. election process culminating in the official proclamation of Joe Biden as president has led to an increase in the public’s distrust of politics and its leaders, as public opinion polls show. In this context, the change in the electorate’s attitude towards Donald Trump, throughout the legislature and especially after the elections, stands out. So, the objective of this research was to determine, through the measurement of surveys, the views of the electorate on the behavior of the Republican candidate and the possible causes that determine the loss of confidence in his speeches and comments. (2) The methodology, a comparative quantitative-qualitative approach, analyzed the responses collected by Pew Research waves 78 and 80 (2020 and 2021). Specifically, the surveys analyzed were 11,818 U.S. adults in the case of the American Trends Panel 2020 and 5360 in the case of the same panel for 2021. (3) Results showed the change of position of the electorate, especially Republicans, in the face of the policy of delegitimization of the process and Trump’s populist messages on Twitter. (4) Conclusions pointed in two directions: society has decided not to trust Trump, while at the same time showing distrust about the correct management of the electoral ballot.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5172/2/3/20audiencedisinformationelectionsmediapollspopulism
spellingShingle Concha Pérez-Curiel
Ricardo Domínguez-García
Gloria Jiménez-Marín
Public Sphere and Misinformation in the U.S. Election: Trump’s Audience and Populism Indicators in the COVID-19 Context
Journalism and Media
audience
disinformation
elections
media
polls
populism
title Public Sphere and Misinformation in the U.S. Election: Trump’s Audience and Populism Indicators in the COVID-19 Context
title_full Public Sphere and Misinformation in the U.S. Election: Trump’s Audience and Populism Indicators in the COVID-19 Context
title_fullStr Public Sphere and Misinformation in the U.S. Election: Trump’s Audience and Populism Indicators in the COVID-19 Context
title_full_unstemmed Public Sphere and Misinformation in the U.S. Election: Trump’s Audience and Populism Indicators in the COVID-19 Context
title_short Public Sphere and Misinformation in the U.S. Election: Trump’s Audience and Populism Indicators in the COVID-19 Context
title_sort public sphere and misinformation in the u s election trump s audience and populism indicators in the covid 19 context
topic audience
disinformation
elections
media
polls
populism
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5172/2/3/20
work_keys_str_mv AT conchaperezcuriel publicsphereandmisinformationintheuselectiontrumpsaudienceandpopulismindicatorsinthecovid19context
AT ricardodominguezgarcia publicsphereandmisinformationintheuselectiontrumpsaudienceandpopulismindicatorsinthecovid19context
AT gloriajimenezmarin publicsphereandmisinformationintheuselectiontrumpsaudienceandpopulismindicatorsinthecovid19context