Abstract:

Together with developments in new communication technologies the emerging concept of web 2.0, has also brought various social networks that enable users to generate their own content to our agenda. One-way communication of traditional media has transformed into two-way and interactive forms of communication with social media. Social media that has economic, social and cultural effects, changes the structure of communication. Election campaigns comprise one of the areas in which social media shows its effects. Social media that enables interactive content has become a medium for political parties' and candidates’ promises, where image and reputation are promoted for voters and public opinion, also providing a platform from which to conduct their election campaigns. Through election campaigns that are conducted at social media, parties and candidates may inform voters with text, video or visual elements and they also have the opportunity to communicate more directly with them. On the other hand, voters or people who support or wish to criticize the candidate/ political party can contribute by generating content through social media. This study aims to analyze how social media was used by the candidates during the presidential elections of August 2014. Therefore, the Facebook-using practices of two presidential candidates- RecepTayyip ERDOGAN and Ekmeleddin İHSANOĞLU- has been analysed by the quantitative content analysis method, based on Baxter, Marcella and Varfis’(2011) study

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