Narrative Manipulation and Reality Construction
A Study of Buzzer Communication Techniques
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17977/um087v3i12026p27-37Keywords:
buzzer, new media, agenda setting, communicationAbstract
This study investigated the communication techniques employed by buzzers in shaping voter perception within new media during the 2024 Indonesian Presidential Election (Pilpres). The research was driven by the problematic rise of structured narrative manipulation, which caused information distortion and eroded rational public discourse. Using a qualitative-interpretive approach and Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method, the study synthesized findings from academic and grey literature concerning buzzer operations in Indonesia. The analysis utilized framing and priming theories, alongside the Digital Social Construction of Reality (DSCR) framework. The findings revealed that buzzers functioned as structured narrative machines, systematically applying framing to polarize candidate images and utilizing priming to divert public attention from substantive issues toward artificial gimmicks. Furthermore, the study identified a significant disruption in the traditional agenda-setting mechanism, where buzzers forced digital trends that mainstream media eventually followed. This process resulted in a biased DSCR, leading to cognitive narrowing and a "spiral of silence" among voters. The study concluded that such structured manipulation transformed voters from rational subjects into mere consumers of artificial political narratives, posing a serious threat to deliberative democracy. Enhanced digital awareness and stricter digital campaign regulations were recommended to mitigate these cognitive damages.References
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