The Inner Circle of Power on Twitter? How Politicians and Journalists Form a Virtual Network Elite in Finland

Authors

  • Iiris Annikki Ruoho Faculty of Communication Sciences University of Tampere Finland
  • Jaana Kuusiplao Faculty of Social Sciences University of Tampere Finland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15847/obsOBS13120191326

Keywords:

Political communication, mediated elites, digitalization of media.

Abstract

Top-level politicians and political journalists have been key actors in public discussion necessary for a democratic political system and transparent political decision-making. This article presents an empirical social network analysis showing the connections between Finnish top-level politicians and political journalists on Twitter and the construction of mediated political and media elites in this specific context. The article argues that there is a need to take seriously the Twitter as a medium and the new ways of networking provided by the digital, hybrid media environment in particular. The results of our empirical study suggest that it may even be relevant to talk about mediated elites, which have emerged under the new social condition created by the digitalization of media, culture, and society.

Author Biographies

Iiris Annikki Ruoho, Faculty of Communication Sciences University of Tampere Finland

Iiris Ruoho, PhD, Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Communication Sciences, University of Tampere FINLAND, is is a specialist of media history, the feminist journalism critique and her latest research interests are in digital culture and the Chinese media. She has been, inter alia, the leader of a multidisciplinary research project (2014) Twitter politics – democracy, representation and equality in the new online public spheres of politics countries.

Jaana Kuusiplao, Faculty of Social Sciences University of Tampere Finland

Jaana Kuusipalo, PhD, researcher, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tampere FINLAND, has expertise in the topic of gender and top-level politics. Her publications include gendering elites in North and South Europe, gendering of political representation in Finland), the role of women in welfare policies of the Nordic countries, and the media coverage of the women candidates in the presidential elections of Finland.

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Published

2019-03-04

How to Cite

Ruoho, I. A., & Kuusiplao, J. (2019). The Inner Circle of Power on Twitter? How Politicians and Journalists Form a Virtual Network Elite in Finland. Observatorio (OBS*), 13(1). https://doi.org/10.15847/obsOBS13120191326

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 1 (2019)

Section

Articles

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