A study of public opinion towards the presence of political figures in infotainment programmes

Abstract

The present article studies the opinion of the population of Gipuzkoa about the presence of politics in infotainment programmes, and more specifically about the participation of political leaders in this kind of TV shows. At the same time, it is aimed at determining the profile of citizens more and less inclined toward this phenomenon. This work presents the results of a survey of a representative sample of the population of Gipuzkoa. First of all, it establishes that the attitude of the people from Gipuzkoa towards the presence of politics in infotainment programmes is generally unfavourable. Women and those of older age are the groups with the most critical attitude. At the same time, individuals who perceive themselves as left-leaning are seen as more critical. On the other hand, those who have more interest in politics and the ones who watch this kind of programmes display less opposing attitudes. These results suggest that individuals could be condemning the trend towards mixing real facts and fiction leading to the infotainment phenomenon not fulfilling its original objective of causing an impact on its audience. Ultimately, political communication is at the crossroads between the renowned cardboard cut-out picture and the most sensationalist TV showcase.