ABSTRACT
This study is a quantitative content analysis of the textual Facebook wall posts of John Dramani Mahama and Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, during the 2012 election campaign. The principal goal of the research was to determine whether the Facebook wall posts of both candidates fell under the functions, topics and sub topics of political campaign discourse. A sample of textual posts from the 1st of August to the 6th of December 2012, were analysed for this study. Using the functional theory of political campaign discourse as the bases for the analysis of candidates‟ Facebook posts.
The posts focused mainly on acclaims (84%) followed by attacks (15%). Defences (1%) were rarely employed and only used by John Dramani Mahama. Candidates‟ posts focused mostly on policy (45%), followed by character (55%), when it came to topics. When they addressed policy, the candidates discussed general goals (39%) in a similar proportion like future plans (38%), and past deeds (23%) were the least discussed policy sub-category. In talking about character, candidates‟ Facebook postswere mostly on ideals (45%), followed by leadership ability (37%) and personal qualities (18%) as the least of character sub topics discussed. Data for this study confirmed three hypotheses, after subjectingdatathrough the chi-square goodness-of-fit test.
OSEI, N (2021). The Use Of Facebook In The 2012 Presidential Campaigns: A Content Analysis Of John Dramani Mahama And Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo’s Official Pages. Afribary. Retrieved from https://afribary.com/works/the-use-of-facebook-in-the-2012-presidential-campaigns-a-content-analysis-of-john-dramani-mahama-and-nana-addo-danquah-akufo-addo-s-official-pages
OSEI, NANA "The Use Of Facebook In The 2012 Presidential Campaigns: A Content Analysis Of John Dramani Mahama And Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo’s Official Pages" Afribary. Afribary, 14 Apr. 2021, https://afribary.com/works/the-use-of-facebook-in-the-2012-presidential-campaigns-a-content-analysis-of-john-dramani-mahama-and-nana-addo-danquah-akufo-addo-s-official-pages. Accessed 03 May. 2024.
OSEI, NANA . "The Use Of Facebook In The 2012 Presidential Campaigns: A Content Analysis Of John Dramani Mahama And Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo’s Official Pages". Afribary, Afribary, 14 Apr. 2021. Web. 03 May. 2024. < https://afribary.com/works/the-use-of-facebook-in-the-2012-presidential-campaigns-a-content-analysis-of-john-dramani-mahama-and-nana-addo-danquah-akufo-addo-s-official-pages >.
OSEI, NANA . "The Use Of Facebook In The 2012 Presidential Campaigns: A Content Analysis Of John Dramani Mahama And Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo’s Official Pages" Afribary (2021). Accessed May 03, 2024. https://afribary.com/works/the-use-of-facebook-in-the-2012-presidential-campaigns-a-content-analysis-of-john-dramani-mahama-and-nana-addo-danquah-akufo-addo-s-official-pages