NEW FORMATS OF ELECTORAL VIDEO ON SOCIAL MEDIA. MULTI-PLATFORM STRATEGY OF SPANISH PARTIES IN THE 2019 ELECTIONS

Abstract

After decades of television influence, image and audiovisual lan-guage have become central elements of political communication. The irruption of social media has further invigorated the strategic use of video, by allowing the autonomous dissemination of content and a closer approach to citizens. Our objective is to analyze the management of video on social networks as an electoral tool from a novel multiplatform approach. Based on a model of content analysis, the format and degree of spectacularization of the videos are reviewed, and partisan strategies are compared. The sample is made up of 2,566 campaign videos published on the Twitter, Instagram, Face-book and YouTube accounts of the five most voted state parties in the general elections of November 2019: PSOE, PP, VOX, Podemos and Ciudadanos. The results show the appearance of new formats such as the digital spot and a strategic diffusion differentiated by platforms. Spectacularization is mani-fested, above all, in the bet on the personalization of the leader, to whom professional attributes are assigned.