Politicians’ Strategies Regarding Their Visual Representations in Media: June 2015 Turkish General Elections

Anadolu Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Anadolu University Journal of Social Sciences Politicians’ Strategies Regarding Their Visual Representations in Media: June 2015 Turkish General Elections Politikacıların Medyada Görsel Temsil Stratejileri: Haziran 2015 Türkiye Genel Seçimleri Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sibel Onursoy Başvuru Tarihi: 10.02.2017 Kabul Tarihi: 18.05.2017 Abstract This study examines how photographic depictions of political candidates published prior to the elections are utilized. Photographic representations of political candidates, involve descriptive characteristics such as posture, posing, facial expressions and clothing style. At the same time, non-verbal clues such as smiling and raising eyebrows, which often have positive effect, are some of the factors affecting their physical attractions. Such characteristics are essential when individuals’ perceptions are considered, and they are significant components of political communication. This study examines, how visual clues and composition elements in politicians’ images, readers interpret and evaluates the findings and conclusions accordingly. Objective and intuitive interpretations of four political party leaders – who were represented through 121 photographs published on three high-circulation newspapers in Turkey for three weeks prior to June 7th 2015 Turkish General Elections-were sought by using Q-sort and qualitative interview techniques. The research question of the study is as follows: How do readers interpret composition elements of politicians’ representations and evaluate them? Keywords: Visual Communication, Audience Perception, Political Representations, Q-sort Öz Bu çalışma, siyasilerin seçim öncesi medyada yer alan fotoğrafik tasvirleriyle görünürlüklerinin nasıl kullandıklarını incelemektedir. Siyasi adayların fotoğrafik sunumlarında tanımlayıcı özellikler bulunmaktadır; duruşu, pozu, yüz ifadesi ve giyim tarzı gibi. Aynı zamanda gülümseme, kaş kaldırma gibi olumlu etki yaratan sözsüz ipuçları fiziksel çekiciliklerini etkilemektedir. Bu tür özellikler bireysel algılamada önemlidir ve siyasal iletişimin kapsamındadır. Bu çalışma, politikacı imajlarındaki görsel ipuçlarını ve kompozisyon elemanlarını, izleyicinin nasıl yorumladığını araştırmakta ve bulgularla sonuçları değerlendirmektedir. Bir kart sıralama (Q-sort) ve nitel görüşme tekniği kullanılarak, izleyicilerin 7 Haziran 2015 Türkiye Genel Seçimleri öncesinde, üç yaygın gazetede bir hafta boyunca yayınlanan fotoğraflarla (121) temsil edilen dört parti liderinin tasvirlerindeki öznel ve sezgisel yorumları yakalanmaya çalışılmaktadır. Çalışmanın araştırma sorusu şöyledir: İzleyici, politikacıların sunulan tasvirlerinin değerliğini ve kompozisyon elemanlarını nasıl yorumlamaktadır? Anahtar Kelimeler: Görsel iletişim, Izleyici Algısı, Siyasi Temsiller, Q-sort Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sibel Onursoy, Anadolu University Faculty of Communication Sciences, sbd.anadolu.edu.tr 29 Politicians’ Strategies Regarding Their Visual Representations in Media: June 2015 Turkish General Elections Introduction Today, visual elements are considered the basic components of political communication. Visual depictions of politicians imply certain clues about the perceptions of potential voters regarding how reliable and suitable the candidates are. Since these visual representations involve both positive and negative implications about candidates, they affect voters’ perceptions and preferences to a great extent. Even they play a significant role in understanding their policies (Grabe and Bucy, 2009; Haumer and Donsbach, 2009). Professional politicians are aware of the fact that visual media images are essential in political communication (Blumler and Gurevitch, 2000; Papathanassopoulos, 2007; Schulz, 2011; Strömback, 2007), and they shape their political images accordingly (Schill 2012). They deliberately aim to appear in public more and to become more effective and sincere than before (Thompson, 2005). At this point, unfavorable or favorable depictions gain importance. Which visual clues make a visual image unfavorable or favorable? Such questions are concerns not only of politicians but also researchers conducting research in the fields of political and visual communication. This research focuses on visual communication in general and the role of visual representations in specific. Following an introduction about a theoretical background, an analysis of reader perceptions about visual depictions of the leaders of four political parties published on newspapers prior to Turkish general elections is presented. Depending on positive and negative composition elements and clues, the study uses Q-sort (a card-sorting) technique and survey to obtain objective and intuitive interpretations of the participants. Different methods of reading media texts have been used in visual research (Berger, 1973; Rose, 2012). Numerical content analyses are often used to detect and define the realities in media messages and especially in multi-meaning visuals. In this study, qualitative and quantitative research techniques are used together, Q-sort is used as a data collection method and the data collected is also applied cluster analysis. Visuals and Political Communication Political communication is built on an approach where images have primary importance and words and texts secondary (Grabe and Bucy, 2009). Political candidates and their advisors try hard to create the most effective and strategic visuals that are likely to stand for their aims and to build up a strong leader image (Shea and Burton, 2001). 30 Visual elements are used carefully in advertisements, speeches, press conferences and other communication forms (Jamieson, 1988; Moffit, 1999). Image-makers guide the candidate in many issues such as what color to wear, who to take a photograph with and how (Hendrix, 2001; Strother, 1999; Wray, 1999). Visual images have the potential of teaching (Barry, 2005). Also, it has a basic role in developing ego and consciousness according to neurologists (Damasio, 1999). Images are perceived quicker than written and oral messages, easily understood and vividly memorable (Barry, 1997; Messaris, 1997). Readers process visual information faster than written information and other symbol forms (Graber, 1996b; Paivio, 1979). In addition, visuals are more memorable when they are catchy and include new information (Graber, 1990; Graber, 1996b; Paivio, 1979) and help information to be retained (Berry and Brosius, 1991; Brosius et al. 1996; Edwards, 2004; Edwardson et al. 1981; Findahl 1981; Kipper, 1986) According to political scientists (Nelson and Boyton, 1997), “persuasion (in a political message) is achieved through presentations, and presentations are successful when accompanied with details”, and visual elements, colors, movements, sounds, music and characters in a presentation are the “tastes” that are retained in minds. The power of visual communication lies in conveying (...truncated)