1. Social media: an Introduction
Social media are computer-mediated tools that allow people to create, share or exchange
information, ideas, and pictures/videos in virtual communities and networks. Social media is defined as "a group of
Internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological
foundations of Web 2.0 and that allow
the creation and exchange of user-generated content. Furthermore,
social media depend on mobile and web-based technologies to create highly
interactive platforms through which individuals and communities share,
co-create, discuss, and modify user-generated content.
Social media has been broadly defined to refer to 'the many
relatively inexpensive and widely accessible electronic tools that enable
anyone to publish and access information, collaborate on a common effort, or
build relationships'"
2. Objectives
Social network
had narrowed the world and have created impact in so many field like, business,
beauty, agriculture, trade, social service and so on. Politics could not remain
out from it. For leaders social networking sites have become an essential part
because of its reach and impact. It is
the best forum and platform for leaders for public interaction, discussion,
grabbing ideas and suggestions too. Any research is guided with certain
objectives. This research has following objectives to acquire:
·
To find out issue, and the way of language used
by leaders on social network. i.e twitter
·
To examine how leaders interact with public
3. Methodology
Any research
is not completed without a proper methodology. Methodology determines the
reliability, authenticity and validity of the research work. For this research work content analysis is done. The study of words, themes, characteristics,
items, space, size, time of the tweets tweeted by various leader is examined
deeply in this study. Some popular leaders of Nepal and their tweets are
analyzed from different perspective in this study. Tweet, re tweet, reply,
favorite, mention, photos, video, links etc of their tweet are being study
under this research.
4.
Findings
4.1 Social media and
politics
Social media is becoming an
integral part of life for political leader in Nepal. It has provided excessive
opportunity for political parties and leaders to connect with their cadres and
understand general people views on political agenda. The chance to interact
with people has significantly increased which has changed the mode of
communication. Traditional one way approach of communication speaking through
the press and other traditional media is slowing talking a u-turn where bottom
–up communication is at rapid pace. This interactive nature of internet
communication system has become a fundamental to strengthen participatory
democracy. This content analysis show the present scenario of social media used
by political parties and leader and also analyzes why and how do political
parties and leaders use social media to disseminate information, views, policy
and programs among cadres and people. Similarly, this article examines in
interaction pattern among leader, cadres and people. It also argues that internet
cultural is growing gradually among political parties and leaders of Nepal.
Social media is also being common platform to leaders, cadres and people It
also helps to foster participatory democracy. However, there is huge internet
divide and lack of internet literacy and skill in political parties and leader.
Call it Twiplomacy, Facebook
diplomacy, weiplomacy, or simply digital diplomacy, the use of social networks
has become an integral part of government communication. The new tools of the
"21st Century Statecraft" -- a term coined by U.S. Secretary of State
Hillary Rodham Clinton -- are rapidly replacing fax and telex, and are becoming
as important for government leaders, ministers, and diplomats as the telephone,
email, and diplomatic cables. In the near future, no one will be able to become
a leader without digital followers, and no diplomat will be well-positioned to
represent his or her country if he or she does not personally engage on social
networks. And it is not the size of the followership that matters, but the
quality of the conversations.
4.2 Political
leaders in social networking site; a platform for criticism and information
The trend of using face book,
twitter and blog is increasing among the political leaders. Young leaders are
more familiar with social network rather than old and top position leaders. It
helps to interact with different groups and person. "I got good response
in face book. it also helps to build the image too, "thakur Gaire , leader
of CPN-UML said.
In face book and twitter,
leaders keep their profile, photo, program, own statement, reaction of others
and responses to people. Leaders are highly active in criticizing as well as
appreciating other leaders. Similarly it has become an open platform for
sharing their opinion, new ideas and thoughts.
Less than two percent central
committee leaders use face book. Still there are large numbers of political
leaders who are not familiar and have no knowledge about using social media.
"Many leaders have no social media literacy. those who have, they are also
afraid of criticisms because many people
use to express anger in social media but leaders also have no resist power,
"new media analyst Somesh Verma said.
Even some leaders use twitter to
inform about the activities. Jhalanath khanal, president of CPN-UML, Babu Ram
Bhattarai, vice president, vice chairman of UCPN- maoist, Rabindra Adhikary,
leader of CPN-UML,Gagan Thapa , leaders of NC, Bishnu RImal ans so on leaders
have teitter account. people tweets and are answered.
4.3 Twitter, its uses and practices
Twitter is an online
social networking service that enables users to send and read short
140-character messages called "tweets". Registered users can read and
post tweets, but unregistered users can only read them.
Twitter is probably one of the
easiest social-media tools to use in government communication. Venezuelan
President Hugo Chavez used Twitter to rally his 3.6 million followers and
secure re-election on October 7, 2012. Twitter helped Estonian President Toomas
Hendrik Ilves debunk a negative news story about his
country in the New York Times.
If Twitter had existed in 1963,
"I have a dream" would have become Martin Luther King's most
retweeted tweet. The historic quote still resonates half a century later. Come
to think of it, all famous quotes can easily fit into 140 characters. Add a
link to the tweet and followers can read more on a website or in a blog post,
which often go hand in hand with the Twitter feed. A tweet is like the headline
of an article: If the headline is well written and enticing, you will read the
rest of the article; clumsy and badly worded, you will skip over it.
Twitter has 271 Million monthly
active users worldwide, and is rapidly growing in South Asia. Nepal has 1
Million above Twitter users. According to Nepal telecommunication organization
Ncell 1.7 Million users have accessed the Twitter via Ncell under the Twitter
Zero scheme. (tech.aakarpost.com, 14 august 2015)
4.4 Leaders
and twitter
Baburam Bhattarai
·
Profile
He was born in a lower middle class family on June 18,
1954, in Belbas, Khoplang VDC, Gorkha district, Dr. Baburam Bhattarai is one of
the outstanding personalities in the political and intellectual sphere of the
country. Former Prime Minister Dr. Bhattarai is a senior leader of the Unified
Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), the largest party in the country. Dr.
Bhattarai became the 35th Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Nepal for a
tenure of about one and a half years. Earlier to this, he served as the first
Finance Minister of the Federal Republic of Nepal during the Puspa Kamal Dahal
'Prachanda'-led government in 2008.
·
Babu Ram
Bhattarai on twitter
Former Prime minister Dr.
Baburam Bhattari is also user of twitter. He has been tweeting about
constitution making process, current political and social scenario. He posted
all post in Nepali and he re tweets the other website link those related to own
activity and party activity. While analyzing the tweet account of Babu Ram
Bhattarai, there are 2,422 tweets. He is following 214 people and he is
followed by 233,688 people. He has favorites 43 people. While taking a sample
tweet from his account of august 16 we can find following facts. He has tweet
an issue on religious secularism of Nepal. He had shared a link of online
khabar. Since this is a burning issue of Nepal, there are 20 re tweet and 67 favorites.
This twitting seems to be powerful but the leader has made no interaction and
reply to the comment given by the public.
Similarly, few comments from the
public are seen positive and most of them are negative and full of criticism.
This tweeting has become a good platform for public discussion but the leader
is seems to be passive with the interaction with public. The replies of this
tweet are also rewetted and favorite.
Sushil koirala
·
Profile
Mr. Koirala was born on 12
August 1939 in Biratnagar to father Bodha Prasad Koirala and mother Kumudini
Devi Koirala. His political career spans over six decades. Inspired by the
ideology of the legendary leader B. P. Koirala's "Nationalism, Democracy,
and Socialism," he took an early plunge into democratic movement in 1954,
and obtained the membership of the Nepali Congress (NC) Party the same year. He
actively participated in Bhadra Abagya Aandalon, (Civil Disobedience Movement)
launched in 1958 by NC. He is the 37th Prime Minister of Nepal, elected by more
than two thirds majority of the Parliament on February 10, 2014.
·
PM SUSHIL
KOIRALA ON TWITTER
Prime Minister Sushil koirala is
also user of twitter. He has been tweeting about constitution making process,
current political and social scenario, progame he attended, issue of
neighboring countries and so many national and international burning issue. He
posted all post in Nepali and he re tweets the other important website link
those related to own activity and party activity. His account is handed by media
team supporting PM koirala. Tweets by PM are followed by signature of PM.
While analyzing the tweet account of Sushil
koirala there are 68 tweets. He is following 10 people and he is followed by
24,344 people. He has favorites 1 people. While taking a sample tweet from his
account of august 3 we can find following facts. He has tweet about an
inauguration programme of bridge he attended in koshi. There are 61 re tweet, and 127 favorite. Photos
are also used in this tweet. This twitting seems to be powerful but the leader
has made no interaction and reply to the comment given by the public.
Similarly, most of the comments from the public are seen positive.
K. P OLI
·
Profile
Khadga
Prasad Sharma Oli, commonly known as KP Oli is the current chairman of Communist
Party of Nepal. He was the Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal during the interim
government in 2006.
·
K.P OLI ON TWITTER
Chairman of Communist Party of Nepal K.P oli is also user of
twitter. He has been tweeting about constitution making process, current
political and social scenario. He posted all post in Nepali and he re tweets
the other important website link those related to own activity and party
activity. While analyzing the tweet account of K.P Oli, there are 417 tweets.
He is following 18 people and he is followed by 18.2 k people. He has favorites
1 people. While taking a sample tweet from his account of august 15 we can find
following facts. He has tweet the
information about the program he attended in .
There is 1 re tweet, and 27 favorite. Photos are also used in this
tweet. There is no reply and the comment have negative connation on this tweet
Gagan Thapa
·
Profile
Gagan
thapa is a Nepali politician.
He is a current member of the Nepalese
Constituent Assembly and
the Legislative Parliament. He is also a member of Executive Committee of the Nepali Congress
Party. He is one of the most popular
political leaders in Nepal and has a large following in various social
networking sites. He emerged as potential future leader of the country during
the agitation against King Gyanendra's
direct rule during the months leading to the 2006
democracy movement in Nepal. Since
then, he has been seen as a fresh and young face in contrast to the usual
political landscape dominated by septuagenarian and octogenarian politicians
who have been in in the political center-stage for decades. The young
generation often portrays him to be their leader as a future Prime Minister of
Nepal.[1] He
was also a member of 1st
Nepalese Constituent Assembly(2008–12).
Widely recognized for his oratory, many Nepali people believe that he can lead
the nation in an executive role if presented with an opportunity.
·
GAGAN THAPA ON TWITTER
Popular leader Gagan Thapa is
also the user of twitter. He has been tweeting about constitution making
process, current political and social scenario. He posted all post in Nepali as
well as in English and he re tweets the
other website link those related to own activity and party activity. While
analyzing the tweet account of Gagan Thapa, there are 862 tweets. He is
following 134 people and he is followed by 173,179 people. He has favorites 7
people. While taking a sample tweet from his account of august 14 we can find
following facts. He has tweet an issue on environment, i.e climate change and. He
had shared a link of bbc. Since this is a burning issue of globe, there are 19
re tweet and 47 favorites. This twitting seems to be powerful and have more positive comments.
Narahari Acharya
·
Profile
He is a central member of Nepali
Congress, assumed the post of the Minister
of Law, Justice, Constituent Assembly and Parliamentary Affairs of Nepal on 25 February 2014 under Sushil
Koirala-led government.
He is a member of
the 2nd Nepalese Constituent Assembly.
He won the Kathmandu–5 seat in Nepalese Constituent
Assembly election, 2013 from
the Nepali
Congress.
·
NRAHARI ACHARYA ON TWITTER
Central member of nepali
congress Nrahari Acharya is also user of twitter. He has been tweeting about
constitution making process, current political and social scenario. He posted
all post in Nepali and he re tweets the other website link those related to own
activity and party activity.
While analyzing the tweet
account of Narahari Achaya there are 204
tweets. He is following 124 people and he is followed by 13,540 people. He has
favorites 13 people. While taking a sample tweet from his account of august 165
we can find following facts. He has tweet to inform about his participation in a
discussion program in BBC sajha pakha. He had shared a link of bbc. this tweet
seems to be done for publicity therefore, there are 1 re tweet which is
negative and 67 favorites. there is no reply from the account holder.
5. Conclusion
Social media
has a great potential in bringing democracy to every citizen’s home, but we
first need to motivate people and leaders to participate in it. the
participation and involvement of leaders in social networking sites is positive
sign that going online and participation of the leaders is also one of the
signal that the need to answer to the people and be accountable. Going online
means political forces is creating platform for people and leaders.
Interactivity and two way communication help to foster democracy, but we find
less reply and response of leaders on their tweet. It is either they have less
time or they lack social media management team or they fear with criticism of
public. Only a one way flow of information will not create interaction among
leaders and public. A social networking site has taken birth in this world just
to increase interactivity and networking between two and more.. Thus leaders
should understand the value and importance of internet, websites and social
media.
Reference
·
www.tech.aakarpost.com, 14 august 2015
·
https://twitter.com/PM_Nepal
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