Twitter News and Trails: A Hybrid Media Analysis of 2016 US Presidential Campaign Communication

• In Event: Making Sense of Election 2016: How the Media Mattered in the U.S. Presidential Election

Abstract

This study analyzes the contentious battle between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton that played out on Twitter and the news media. Previous research shows that Trump has mastered the Twitter genre, engaging prospective voters with his entertaining and personal messages. His use of reposting engages his Twitter audience interactively. Our study of the primary season found that Trump broadly attacks his opponents, the news media and even his own party, as well as focusing on himself and the campaign process. Clinton focuses on issues. The emotional tone and content of the two candidates’ tweets also diverged significantly, with Trump being more negative than Clinton and using more emotional language. We expect those trends to continue in the general election. This study focuses on the “hybrid media” concept to consider whether or not the same messages that attract media coverage are the ones that are widely disseminated on Twitter. Covering the primaries and general election, the study combines an original content analysis of the 2016 candidates’ tweets with analyses of “Twitter Trails” and news coverage of candidates’ use of social media. This comparison will deepen our understanding of reinforcement and diversity in the “hybrid media” system.

Authors

• Ann Crigler, U of Southern California

• Marion Just, Wellesley College

• Whitney Hua, U of Southern California