Communication of Croatian Politicians on Instagram at the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Towards Whom, How and With What Effect?

Kad pogledamo medijske navike korisnika, posebno mladih (Reuters Institute Digital News Report, 2020), onda možemo vidjeti sve veći utjecaj društvenih medija u njihovu informiranju i komunikaciji. Značaj društvenih medija još je dodatno ojačan s početkom globalne pandemije bolesti COVID-19. U tom kontekstu društvena mreža Instagram proteklih godina postaje sve popularnija platforma na globalnoj razini, a posebno kod mlađe populacije. No, i dalje ostaje neiskorišten alat u približavanju politika, političkih aktera i važnih društvenih tema mlađoj populaciji. Cilj je ovog rada ispitati kako su ključni politički akteri u Hrvatskoj komunicirali putem Instagrama za vrijeme pandemije COVID-19 te utvrditi jesu li koristili ovu društvenu mrežu kako bi se približili publici na toj platformi, odnosno mladima. S druge strane, ovaj rad će ispitati kako komunikaciju političara na društvenoj mreži Instagram percipiraju i ocjenjuju mladi praktičari odnosa s javnošću i jesu li njihove poruke prilagođene mlađoj populaciji. Svrha će rada biti na temelju dvostruke analize donijeti zaključke i dati preporuke za unapređenje komunikacije političara na društvenoj mreži Instagram. Koristeći metodu analize sadržaja analiziran je sadržaj na Instagram profilima dvojice ministara i članova kriznog stožera za pandemiju COVID-19 te hrvatskog premijera i predsjednika. Analizom je utvrđeno na koji način političari komuniciraju, je li sadržaj prilagođen mladima i potiču li angažman u svojim objavama. Metodom strukturiranog intervjua s odabranim praktičarima odnosa s javnošću komunikacija je ocjenjivana trodimenzionalno: u sadržaju, javnom nastupu i karizmi političara na Instagramu. Na temelju dobivenih rezultata u zaključku rada sažete su preporuke za daljnju praksu u komunikaciji političara na društvenoj mreži Instagram.Looking at the users’ media habits, especially in young users (Reuters Institute Digital News Report, 2020), we can see the growing social media influence on their information and communication. The importance of social media in information and communication is even higher since the beginning of the global COVID-19 pandemic. In that context, the social network called Instagram is becoming increasingly popular globally, particularly with younger generations. Still, it remains an unused tool in bringing policies, political actors, and important social topics closer to the younger population. The goal of this paper is to investigate how did Croatian politicians communicated via Instagram during the COVID-19 pandemic and to establish if they used this social network to get closer to the audience on that platform, that is, to young people. On the other hand, we will examine how the young public relations practitioners perceive and evaluate the Crisis and political headquarters’ and communication on Instagram. Furthermore, they will review if politicians have adapted their messages to the younger population. The scope of this paper is to draw conclusions based on double analysis and give recommendations for communication improvement of politicians on Instagram. We have analysed the content on the Instagram profile of the two ministers and members of Croatian COVID-19 crisis headquarters and Croatian president and prime-minister using the content analysis method. We have established how the politicians communicate, whether the content was adapted to the young population and if their posts were engaging. Alongside the selected public relations practitioners, we have conducted structured interviews to assess the communication, using the three-dimensional assessment method: content, public performance, and charisma of the members of the politicians on Instagram. In conclusion, we have summarized the recommendations for further communication of politicians on Instagram