Youth, Political Knowledge, and Election Campaigns: The Attitudes and Approaches of Political and Communication Elites in New Zealand

Abstract

Despite being the most avid users of online media, young people remain disconnected from politics, and there are significant concerns about their level of political knowledge with potential impact on democracy. This research proposes a new model for how politicians could use online media during a campaign to disseminate political information amongst young people. This model was created by in-depth analysis of extensive data from the attitudes and tools used by political parties and media in New Zealand during the 2017 general election in which Jacinda Ardern became the Prime Minister. This research utilised triangulated methods including content analysis of online communication from the four biggest political parties and in-depth interviews with key figures from those parties and organisations involved in creating online engagement initiatives, such as Vote Compass as well as young New Zealanders involved in the 2017 election through party youth networks and non-partisan but politically focused organisations. The proposed model for dissemination of political information amongst the young argues that political elites need to use the five Cs: content, channel, cost, collaboration, and communication strategies. Content is about developing the key message using best practices; channel reflects and identifies the most suitable online platform; cost encompasses finances and resources; collaboration is about finding effective interplay of multiple sources including legacy media and new digital information outlets, and communication strategies suggest techniques for using online media to connect with the young. These 5Cs provide invaluable insights into how this model can be utilised for future research in different settings, and either election or non-election periods, to deepen its understanding and applicability to similar settings and fill a major gap in the existing literature. Moreover, it provides guidance for practitioners to avoid dismissing the young as uninterested and instead try to use appropriate approaches to develop young people’s political knowledge.