PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES IN ROMANIA – FORMATS AND VISUAL APPROACH
PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES IN ROMANIA – FORMATS AND VISUAL APPROACH

Summary/Abstract: This paper analyzes the evolution of TV coverage of presidential campaigns in Romania, concentrating on formats, visual approaches and turning points of the televised final debates between candidates in the second round. These final debates (except for 2000 when it did not take place, as Ion Iliescu refused to face Corneliu Vadim Tudor), had a major influence, along with well chosen moves or historic blunders, on the outcome of the presidential elections in Romania. The paper focuses on the fact that many of the decisions taken by political leaders are today tributary to the way media will comment on them. Relation between media and politics is, undoubtedly, an important factor in understanding the stakes of contemporary democracy. In the long run, television turns presidential elections into a talent show, with all its elements: Settings, story, suspense, show, characters, surprise moves and, more than the multi-million shows, a big and real stake for the viewer. The analysis was made on video recordings of final presidential debates in 1990, 1992, 1996, 2004, 2009 and 2014. For the elections of 1990, 1992, 1996 and 2004 recordings available in archives were studied. For 2009 and 2014, the author personally recorded the debates.

• Details
• Contents