UDC 2 811.134.227:159.964

Аlla Tsybko

Assistant of Spanish-Italian philology

Kyiv national university named after Taras Shevchenko

juliaodour@rambler.ru

The Effect of Spanish Political Talk Show on Masses Conscious

Abstract: In the current media system, television is providing a growing level of interactivity, which increases the connections of programs with their audiences. The leading role belongs to talk show. The article deals with the influence of Spanish political programs on the public, shows how to enhance audience`s participation in a variety of ways. Findings of this study demonstrate TV talk shows matter for young people’s political engagement. Use of television entertainment talk shows for political information, particularly late night talk shows, was found to relate to all three categories of the criterion variables –political efficacy, political trust, and vote likelihood – either directly or via interacting with a third variable. Findings suggest that use of late night talk shows as a resource for political understanding may foster political inefficacy and political mistrust among young adults. Use of late night talk shows also interacted with newspaper use such that the positive role of newspaper reading in facilitating electoral participation was smaller among heavy viewers of late night talk shows. Interestingly, the negative relationship between late night talk show viewing and vote likelihood was most evident among young adults who regarded celebrities and entertainment elites trustworthy and convincing. The findings of this study call for a further examination of the role that non-traditional sources of political information, such as late night talk shows, play among young segments of the population. The study actually reveals the state of political consciousness of public and whether theses talk shows are able to make people exercise politics properly to motivate them toward positive movements and bound government to exercise accurate power. The study also focused to the extent that whether these political talk shows can create impact on public and be able to create positive contribution on transforming the society as well as country.

This essay explores the effect of Spanish political talk shows. Using the questioner method, analyses, synthesis over the ten updated popular political talk shows were examined in public Spanish television channels and their websites, during six weeks across December to January 2016. My analysis focused on participative initiatives and agitation sections aimed at encouraging participation on voting.

The main purpose of the study is to measure the awareness level of people made by political talk shows. The study also has the objective to find out whether these political talk shows are able to create an authentic platform of communication between people and government.

Keywords: political talk shows, Spanish audience participation, interaction, television program.

Introduction: There have been many studies conducted on television and its effects. Since the 1950’s, when television emerged, there has been an influx of patterns and behaviors associated with television viewing and programming. Many researchers are fascinated with television and the reactions of those who are directly affected by it. People have been known to act out in many ways as a result of something they saw on television. Many believe that television viewing directly affects a person’s mind. The updated broadcast system is coming through a deep change in some spheres that change its function and the specific of broadcasting, such as increasing the number of political programs and inventing different methods of audience conscious influence, the innovation in formats, which tend to be more interactive, in the dialogue form with the audience, as well as a renewed relationship between the media and their audiences.

The aim of the article is to investigate the political talk show influence on masses.

The synergies between television and the Internet have brought about innovative ways of considering the role of audiences and amplifying the reception of programs, as interactive technologies transforming the way television communicates with the audience, and also increasing the opportunities for audience feedback and engagement with programs. Television series, newscasts and shows are increasingly produced bearing in mind their online distribution, with spectators turned into users who are able to interact more intensively, sharing their experiences and participating with a large number of applications (Deery, 2003).

The concept of audience participation shares a variety of meanings. José Alberto García-Avilés defines it as the feedback which the broadcasters provide through a combination of traditional systems and new technologies. It includes such tools as voting by SMS for a particular candidate in a talk show, to give one’s opinion or to verify the attitude toward particular problem, possible solutions and maybe critics. According to Nightingale and Dwyer (2006), most voting shows should be regarded as commercial transactions, where presenters behave like “sellers” who exhibit a persuasive rhetoric which seeks to engage viewers en masse, or as agitation for the particular party. It includes the use of sites associated with the programs, where fans might engage in lively chat discussions and forums. According to José Alberto García-Avilés of Universidad Miguel Hernández in Spain there are several strategies of participation through cross-media activities, which promote different images of the audience. There are classified into eight roles: citizens, consumers, collaborators, fans, players, commentators, benefactors and activists. The nature and implications of these audience roles are discussed in his essay (García-Avilés, 2012). Some examples of social television services include the integration of Twitter updates during a live video stream and Facebook applications which allow commenting while watching video content. The news analysis talk show “La Noche en 24 Horas”, in RTVE’s Canal 24 Horas, brings in audience participation through Facebook: comments on the news events and a selection of viewers’ opinions are included and discussed in the show. The daily newscast of “La 2 Noticias” also relies on users’ comments on Facebook as a source of criticism, suggestions and story ideas while the news program is broadcast. It has reached over one hundred thousand followers in this social network. Rtve.es regularly publishes polls that encourage users to give their opinions about different current events. These are open to all visitors and they can participate without registering first. Similarly, Telecinco.com news stories can also be commented on and rated with a score from one to five stars.

The open environment associated with the Internet gives raise to new ways of organization and participation, which are supported by social activists. In the public sphere, the use of the Web by social movements is opening new channels of communication, association and political action. In this context, activism based on or directed against the television networks is strengthening citizen participation, with greater visibility for their aims and actions. Both live television and real-time information as claims José Alberto García-Avilés are converging to reinforce each other and in the process are creating something new. Viewers become participants, and participants are now connected, which has implications for the way content is consumed and criticized by individuals and platforms for activist. Understanding that the conversation surrounding an event may be just as important as the event itself, television companies can leverage this growing trend to their advantage.

A couple of recent cases reveal the power of social media to influence a program’s fate. In October 2011, Telecinco’s talk show La Noria, which mixes gossip and political analysis with guests and commentators, invited the mother of Francisco Javier García, “El Cuco”, a kid who had been charged and jailed for his part in covering up the murder of a teenage girl in Seville. When it was learned that García’s mother was going to appear in exchange for 10,000 euros, many people took to the social networks asking for viewers to boycott the program. “El Cuco,” who was a minor when the murder took place, has been cleared of rape and murder charges. As a result of the boycott campaign, La Noria lost a chunk of its advertising. Most of the larger advertising companies, such as Campofrío, Puleva, President, Bayer and Nestlé, all decided to pull their ads from the popular talk show.

Research Objectives: The study is aimed at gaining an understanding of the political talk shows, whether these are able to create awareness among public in Spain and motivate them toward positive movement and find the extent that whether these political talk shows can create impact on people and be able to create positive contribution on transforming the society as well as whole country. The study also has the objective to find out whether these political talk shows are able to create an authentic platform of communication between people and government. In brief the concrete objectives were:

1. The main objective of the study is to measure the awareness level on people made by political talk shows

2. To find the extent, that whether these political talk shows can create impact on people and be able to create positive contribution on transforming the society as well as whole country

3. To find out whether these political talk shows are able to create an authentic platform of communication between people and government.

4. To understand behavior pattern of audience adopting political talk shows.

5. After analyzing all relevant data and information and from the Zainal Abedin and Moniruzzaman research results the following recommendations are necessary.

6. It is very good sign that 24 people (80%), (from 30) are watching TV talk shows. This number should be increased by arranging more talk shows which are much needed to protect public interest and will be able to make a effective platform of communication between government and public.

7. 40.3% people watch TV talk shows to be entertained, and 40% of people watch to pass their leisure time. So the talk shows must be able to make conscious among mass people besides entertaining them. It should be an authentic source of gaining knowledge.

8. The talk shows should be conducted in such a way / format that the national decisions can be made from them. Since 60% students believe so.

9. Political biasness should be removed from talk shows so that the authenticity of the channel can be increased.

10. Talk shows should not be in such a way that will not be the cause of pollutant of environment and does not breach peace in country.

11. There should be a good arrangement in watching TV talk shows in Dhaka University. Because 20% students think that there is no good arrangement for watching talk shows.

12. The talk shows should be able to make inspiration for conscious movements for DU students because 51% students think that these are fail to make inspiration for conscious movements.

13. The TV owners should support and make arrangement for conducting a talk show so that public interest can be reflected and public assumed that it is the common and authentic platform of communication channel between Government and public. So they should not arrange any articulated and artificial talk show to gain government favors.

14. The explanations and arguments in the talk show should be basis on accuracy, fair and validity so that it cannot violate the existing law and constitution.

15. Talk shows conducting on TV channels should not be based on political issues only, some issues and topics can be considered which may help rural lives and will be able to develop whole Spain.

16. Topics or issues discussed in the talk shows should be arranged in such a ways which may help conscious and positive social change.

Finally, such interviews present candidates in a more favorable light than traditional political interview shows. For example, in short, late night entertainment talk shows or other soft news programs afford politicians one of their best opportunities to reach a large group of potentially persuadable voters in a relatively sympathetic venue.

Communication scholars (Blumler and McQuail 1969; Wamsley and Pride 1972; Fitzsimmons and Osburn 1968; Robinson 1974) have shown that television allows to influence audience`s conscious.

The Relationship between Television Talk Show Viewing and Political Engagement: Scholars have long recognized the significance of young adulthood for the fostering of democratic citizenry (Dennis, 1973; Fendrich & Lonvoy, 1988; Renshon, 1977). Recent efforts in political socialization, in particular, have renewed research interest in this area (McLeod, 2000). Some have identified the media as a vital agent in political socialization with various positive contributions (Chaffee, Ward, & Tipton, 1970; Conway, Wyckoff, Feldbaum, & Ahern, 1981; Eveland, McLeod, & Horowitz, 1998). Others, however, have required a greater accountability from the media, as the readership and viewership of public affairs have been shrinking, particularly, among young adults (Buckingam, 1997 &1999; also see Peiser, 2000). Many important questions about the role of the media in this critical period, though, are yet to be answered (McLeod, 2000).

Some have suggested that audience are more responsive to newer forms of the media, such as cable TV, informal news programs, and TV news magazines (Katz, 1993). Notably, a recent survey by the Pew Center shows that young Americans are using television entertainment programs, such as comedy shows and late night talk shows, for their political information gathering (Pew, 2004). The role of these newer political news sources in facilitating young people’s political engagement, however, is not clear. In recent years, an increasing number of scholars of political communication have argued that non-traditional media forms play a significant role in American politics (Baum, 2002; Davis, 1997; Gamson, 1999; Holbert, Kwak, & Shah, 2003; Mutz, 2001; Shah, 1998).

The literature on political effects of talk shows provides a somewhat complex picture. Although there have been a limited number of studies conducted on this issue,researchers have investigated a rather wide range of political outcomes, including knowledge (Hollander, 1995; Baum, 2003; Prior, 2003), candidate perception (Pfau, Moy, Radler, &Bridgeman, 1998; Young, 2004), electoral preference (Pfau & Eveland, 1996; Pfau et al., 2001),various political attitudes (Moy & Pfau, 2000; Weaver & Drew, 2001), political participation(Hollander, 1994; McLeod et al., 1996), and policy orientations (Baum, 2003). The impact of television talk shows in general and political talk shows in particular has been relatively small, and findings have been inconsistent in many areas, which makes it difficult to arrive at a firm conclusion concerning the role of political talk shows.

Regarding the impact of entertainment talk shows on political engagement, some studies have reported a negative impact on interest (Pfau, Cho, & Chong, 2001) There could be some reasons for the inconsistency in findings. First of all, the context in which each study was conducted was different, and this creates a possibility for history effects. Also, studies have not adopted the same operationalziation of the concept. In fact, studies focused only on late night talk shows (Young, 2004), used a general category of television talk shows (Chaffee et al., 1994; Hollander, 1994), or combined daytime and late night talk shows (Moy et al., 1999). Otherwise, as Young (2004) noted, the size of the direct effects of talk shows might be too small to find in the data, which could also contribute to the inconsistency of findings.

Content analyses of late night talk shows, however, have produced quite consistent results – that is, the tone of the content on politicians and political matters in these shows is decidedly negative. Prominent political figures, such as the president and front-running presidential candidates, are the most frequent targets of late night television jokes, and most of the jokes are not on issues but directed at personal foibles of these politicians (Niven, Lichter, & Amundson, 2003). According to a content analysis done by Moy and Pfau (2000), late night talk shows in 1995 were found to be largely negative in their coverage of the president. Analyzing the same data set, Pfau and colleagues (1998) reported that the presidency and congress were covered more negatively by television entertainment talk shows than by traditional media outlets.

Conclusion

The paper has given an account of the awareness level of the public who are confronted with various political talk shows. It has revealed how much public aware, what they know, how they react, and why they involve with this talk shows. The study was an attempt to investigate the actual level of awareness of political talk shows and how much these shows act as a common and authentic platform of communication between public and government. It also revealed that different channels present a particular topic in different ways which lead the viewer`s towards ambiguity. These shows have little impact on public to create awareness. The TV channels are producing such political talk shows program as it is cheap and to increase TRP. It is very good sign that 80% people are watching TV talk shows. This number should be increased by arranging more talk shows which will be much needed to protect public interest and will be able to make an effective platform of communication between government and public.

In the developed countries, research has been conducted on political talk shows to measure awareness level of public. But there was perhaps no research or any works are done on this topic in the area in Spain. As a primary and early research, it has initiated just to explore the knowledge in this field. Hopefully the research results or outputs would provide a basis for further research on political talk shows and encourage future researchers. It would be also helpful for TV journalist, talk shows specialists and other stakeholders in their profession, since the paper gives some insights into the investigation and circumstances of political talk shows.

Limitations of the study

Despite our sincere effort to keep flawless in our survey, some limitations cannot be ruled out like, it is not possible to verify to what extent samples are representative. And if someone might have not expressed his/her heartfelt opinion, the same is also beyond scrutiny. However, we have made our sincere most endeavor to select in a neutral and proper way.

As participation devices get more sophisticated, further research is needed to explore the level of interaction among producers and viewers, as it evolves in a more collaborative environment. In this way, audience engagement with online and television platforms goes beyond a mere strategy to connect with the public and gain legitimacy, but it becomes a necessary condition for the survival of interconnected television.

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