Shaping the narrative: media and X (Twitter) influence during the 2020 US election
Quality and Quantity, 2026 (Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s11135-026-02955-z
- Dergi Adı: Quality and Quantity
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Scopus, IBZ Online, ABI/INFORM, Index Islamicus, Political Science Complete, Psycinfo, Political Science Abstract (IPSA), Social Science Premium Collection (ProQuest), Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest), Sociology Database (ProQuest), Sociology Source Ultimate (EBSCO)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Election, Inter-media agenda setting, New media, Political communication, USA
- Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
This study investigated inter-media agenda-setting relations between old and new media environments in the last 14 days of the 2020 US presidential elections. It was disclosed that 341.432 posts collected from the popular communication tool Twitter (X) and 7.637 online content items from seven leading media outlets in the country primarily fed one another with first- and second-level agenda relations. The study, which covers a crisis period (the COVID-19 pandemic) and a political campaign period (the US presidential elections), when people’s need for guidance was high, offers a refined understanding of the agenda-setting theory via a comparison with disaggregated data. Even though the agenda-setting process, transforming into a cyclical phenomenon, is supported by cross-lagged correlations, we found that “Trump” and “Biden” switched places during some periods, suppressing the flow of information with candidate-focused analysis. This represents new evidence that the online agenda, with its homogeneous structure, is characterized by dynamic elements at unusual times.