Online News Framing of Ansar–Nyanyang during the 2024 Kepulauan Riau Gubernatorial Election
Keywords:
Digital Political, Communication, Political Framing, Online News Media
Abstract
This study examines the digital political communication framing of Ansar Ahmad and Nyanyang Haris Pratamura in winning the 2024 Kepulauan Riau gubernatorial election. The main objective of this research is to identify the dominant framing patterns constructed through online news coverage and to explain how these frames contributed to the formation of the candidate pair’s electoral image. This study employed a qualitative descriptive-interpretive approach using secondary data obtained from online news articles published during the official campaign period. Data were collected through Google Advanced Search from verified national and local online media sources, using relevant keywords related to Ansar Ahmad, Nyanyang Haris Pratamura, and their campaign identity. After screening duplicate and irrelevant articles, the study analyzed 93 unique online news articles through thematic analysis and narrative analysis. The findings reveal that the Ansar–Nyanyang pair was framed through six dominant narratives: public support and legitimacy, credibility and competence, welfare and inclusive development orientation, commitment and readiness for implementation, identity, culture, and political values, and popularity and public mediation. These frames collectively constructed the pair as experienced, socially accepted, culturally connected, programmatically prepared, and electorally viable leaders. Local online media played a particularly significant role in amplifying these narratives, as most campaign-related coverage emerged from Kepulauan Riau-based outlets.
References
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Lee, S., & Xenos, M. (2022). Incidental news exposure via social media and political participation: Evidence of reciprocal effects. New Media & Society, 24(1), 178–201. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444820962121
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McAllum, K., Fox, S., Simpson, M., & Unson, C. (2019). A comparative tale of two methods: How thematic and narrative analyses author the data story differently. Communication Research and Practice, 5(4), 358–375. https://doi.org/10.1080/22041451.2019.1677068
McCombs, M. (2005). Setting the agenda: The mass media and public opinion. Choice Reviews Online, 42(11), 42-6312–42-6312. https://doi.org/10.5860/CHOICE.42-6312
Mura, P., & Sharif, S. P. (2017). Narrative analysis in tourism: A critical review. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 17(2), 194–207. https://doi.org/10.1080/15022250.2016.1227276
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Ninan, J., Mahalingam, A., & Clegg, S. (2022). Power in news media: Framing strategies and effects in infrastructure projects. International Journal of Project Management, 40(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2021.11.003
Ochieng, J., Grabe, M. E., Ireri, K., & Mudavadi, K. C. (2025). Mitigating information insecurity: An African perspective on satisfaction with democracy. The International Journal of Press/Politics. Advance online publication.
Page, J. T., & Duffy, M. E. (2018). What does credibility look like? Tweets and walls in U.S. presidential candidates’ visual storytelling. Journal of Political Marketing, 17(1), 3–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/15377857.2016.1171819
Pan, Z., & Kosicki, G. M. (1993). Framing analysis: An approach to news discourse. Political Communication, 10(1), 55–75. https://doi.org/10.1080/10584609.1993.9962963
Ridout, T. N., & Searles, K. (2011). It’s my campaign I’ll cry if I want to: How and when campaigns use emotional appeals. Political Psychology, 32(3), 439–458. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9221.2010.00819.x
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van der Goot, E. S., Hameleers, M., & de Ridder, J. (2025). The impact of online political conflict frames on party and politician evaluations. Mass Communication and Society. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/15213269.2025.2509502
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Venus, A. (2025). Political participation in the digital age: Impact of political influencers and advertising on political participation. Cogent Social Sciences, 11(1), Article 2520063. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2025.2520063
Walter, D., & Ophir, Y. (2021). Strategy framing in news coverage and electoral success: An analysis of topic model networks approach. Political Communication, 38(6), 707–730. https://doi.org/10.1080/10584609.2020.1858379
Wang, Y., Lu, L., Zhou, Z., & Zhu, J. (2022). Empathic narrative of online political communication. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 869496. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.869496
Young, D. G., & Miller, J. M. (2023). Political communication. In L. Huddy, D. O. Sears, J. S. Levy, & J. Jerit (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of political psychology (3rd ed., pp. 555–600). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197541302.013.15
Badullovich, N. (2023). A framing model for climate communication in polarised settings. Environmental Politics, 32(4), 692–714. https://doi.org/10.1080/09644016.2022.2052648
Borchers, N. S. (2025). How social media influencers support political parties in achieving campaign objectives, according to political communicators in Germany. Public Relations Review, 51(1), Article 102532. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2024.102532
Borz, G., & De Francesco, F. (2024). Digital political campaigning: Contemporary challenges and regulation. Policy Studies, 45(5), 677–691. https://doi.org/10.1080/01442872.2024.2384145
Bowen, G. A. (2009). Document analysis as a qualitative research method. Qualitative Research Journal, 9(2), 27–40. https://doi.org/10.3316/QRJ0902027
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2013). Successful qualitative research: A practical guide for beginners. SAGE Publications.
Browning, N., & Sweetser, K. D. (2020). How media diet, partisan frames, candidate traits, and political organization-public relationship communication drive party reputation. Public Relations Review, 46(2), Article 101884. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2020.101884
Caliendo, S. M., & McIlwain, C. D. (2006). Minority candidates, media framing, and racial cues in the 2004 election. The Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics, 11(4), 45–69. https://doi.org/10.1177/1081180X06293551
Chong, D., & Druckman, J. N. (2007). Framing theory. Annual Review of Political Science, 10, 103–126. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.polisci.10.072805.103054
Chuchu, T., Koopman, A., & Rankapole, B. (2025). Voters’ perceptions of and preferences for political party brands: Evidence from South Africa. Journal of Political Marketing. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/15377857.2025.2589191
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Daxecker, U., & Prasad, N. (2025). Preaching to the converted: Misinformation and voter preferences in election campaigns. Electoral Studies, 98, Article 103003. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electstud.2025.103003
Domke, D., Shah, D. V., & Wackman, D. B. (1998). “Moral referendums”: Values, news media, and the process of candidate choice. Political Communication, 15(3), 301–321. https://doi.org/10.1080/105846098198911
Entman, R. M. (2007). Framing bias: Media in the distribution of power. Journal of Communication, 57(1), 163–173. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2006.00336.x
Entman, R. M. (2010). Media framing biases and political power: Explaining slant in news of Campaign 2008. Journalism, 11(4), 389–408. https://doi.org/10.1177/1464884910367587
Ferreira, G. B., & Ferreira, L. S. (2025). The polarization paradox: Social media, young voters, and the challenges to the open society. Social Sciences, 14(9), Article 542. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14090542
Gakahu, N. (2024). Image-centrism in Africa’s political communication: A social semiotic analysis of self-presentation practices by women political candidates in Kenya’s social media space. Information, Communication & Society. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2024.2343367
Gil de Zúñiga, H., & Cheng, Z. (2021). Origin and evolution of the news finds me perception: Review of theory and effects. Profesional de la Información, 30(3), Article e300321. https://doi.org/10.3145/epi.2021.may.21
Gruenhagen, J. H., Terrill, J., & Cox, S. (2025). How do politics, news media and the public frame the discourse on coal mining? Implications for the legitimacy, destabilisation and transition of an industry regime. Technological Forecasting and Social Change. Advance online publication.
Han, S. (2024). Media framing in the digital age: Interplay of real estate and welfare narratives in South Korean news articles. Heliyon, 10(4), Article e25696. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25696
Harff, D., & Schmuck, D. (2024). Prevalence, presentation, and popularity of political topics in social media influencers’ content across two countries. Political Communication, 42(3), 351–381. https://doi.org/10.1080/10584609.2024.2406809
Koivula, A., Marttila, E., & Koiranen, I. (2024). Media framing and trust: A randomized survey experiment on attitudes towards the unvaccinated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 10, Article 101157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2024.101157
Lam, S. Y. B., Cheung, M. F. M., & Lo, W. H. (2021). What matters most in the responses to political campaign posts on social media: The candidate, message frame, or message format? Computers in Human Behavior, 121, Article 106800. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.106800
Lecheler, S., Keer, M., Schuck, A. R. T., & Hänggli, R. (2015). The effects of repetitive news framing on political opinions over time. Communication Monographs, 82(3), 339–358. https://doi.org/10.1080/03637751.2014.994646
Lee, S., & Xenos, M. (2022). Incidental news exposure via social media and political participation: Evidence of reciprocal effects. New Media & Society, 24(1), 178–201. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444820962121
Leeper, T. J., & Slothuus, R. (2020). How the news media persuades. In E. Suhay, B. Grofman, & A. H. Trechsel (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of electoral persuasion (pp. 150–168). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190860806.013.4
Marcos-García, S., Alonso-Muñoz, L., & Casero-Ripollés, A. (2021). The influence of the negative campaign on Facebook: The role of political actors and citizens in the use of criticism and political attack in the 2016 Spanish general elections. Social Sciences, 10(10), Article 356. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci10100356
Martens, B., Aguiar, L., Gomez-Herrera, E., & Mueller-Langer, F. (2018). The digital transformation of news media and the rise of disinformation and fake news: An economic perspective. European Commission, Joint Research Centre.
McAllum, K., Fox, S., Simpson, M., & Unson, C. (2019). A comparative tale of two methods: How thematic and narrative analyses author the data story differently. Communication Research and Practice, 5(4), 358–375. https://doi.org/10.1080/22041451.2019.1677068
McCombs, M. (2005). Setting the agenda: The mass media and public opinion. Choice Reviews Online, 42(11), 42-6312–42-6312. https://doi.org/10.5860/CHOICE.42-6312
Mura, P., & Sharif, S. P. (2017). Narrative analysis in tourism: A critical review. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 17(2), 194–207. https://doi.org/10.1080/15022250.2016.1227276
Nelson, T. E., Oxley, Z. M., & Clawson, R. A. (1997). Toward a psychology of framing effects. Political Behavior, 19(3), 221–246. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024834831093
Ninan, J., Mahalingam, A., & Clegg, S. (2022). Power in news media: Framing strategies and effects in infrastructure projects. International Journal of Project Management, 40(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2021.11.003
Ochieng, J., Grabe, M. E., Ireri, K., & Mudavadi, K. C. (2025). Mitigating information insecurity: An African perspective on satisfaction with democracy. The International Journal of Press/Politics. Advance online publication.
Page, J. T., & Duffy, M. E. (2018). What does credibility look like? Tweets and walls in U.S. presidential candidates’ visual storytelling. Journal of Political Marketing, 17(1), 3–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/15377857.2016.1171819
Pan, Z., & Kosicki, G. M. (1993). Framing analysis: An approach to news discourse. Political Communication, 10(1), 55–75. https://doi.org/10.1080/10584609.1993.9962963
Ridout, T. N., & Searles, K. (2011). It’s my campaign I’ll cry if I want to: How and when campaigns use emotional appeals. Political Psychology, 32(3), 439–458. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9221.2010.00819.x
Sajuria, J. (2025). Digital political communication and electoral participation in contemporary democracies. Political Research Exchange. Advance online publication.
Scheffauer, R., Durotoye, T., & Gil de Zúñiga, H. (2023). Incidental news exposure and political consumerism: Exploring nuances. Telematics and Informatics, 84, Article 102044. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2023.102044
Scheibenzuber, C., Neagu, L.-M., Ruseti, S., Artmann, B., Bartsch, C., Kubik, M., Dascalu, M., Trausan-Matu, S., & Nistor, N. (2023). Dialog in the echo chamber: Fake news framing predicts emotion, argumentation and dialogic social knowledge building in subsequent online discussions. Computers in Human Behavior, 140, Article 107587. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2022.107587
Terry, G., Hayfield, N., Clarke, V., & Braun, V. (2017). Thematic analysis. In C. Willig & W. Stainton Rogers (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of qualitative research in psychology (2nd ed., pp. 17–37). SAGE Publications.
van der Goot, E. S., Hameleers, M., & de Ridder, J. (2025). The impact of online political conflict frames on party and politician evaluations. Mass Communication and Society. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/15213269.2025.2509502
Vargas-Merino, J. A., Pillaca-Villarruel, C. del P., Silvera-Otañe, G. P., Fernández-Hurtado, G. A., Olórtegui-Alcalde, L. M., & Berrospi-Ytahashi, A. M. (2025). Unraveling the influence of political marketing on electoral decision-making: A robust analysis with PLS-SEM. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 12, Article 101811. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101811
Venus, A. (2025). Political participation in the digital age: Impact of political influencers and advertising on political participation. Cogent Social Sciences, 11(1), Article 2520063. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2025.2520063
Walter, D., & Ophir, Y. (2021). Strategy framing in news coverage and electoral success: An analysis of topic model networks approach. Political Communication, 38(6), 707–730. https://doi.org/10.1080/10584609.2020.1858379
Wang, Y., Lu, L., Zhou, Z., & Zhu, J. (2022). Empathic narrative of online political communication. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 869496. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.869496
Young, D. G., & Miller, J. M. (2023). Political communication. In L. Huddy, D. O. Sears, J. S. Levy, & J. Jerit (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of political psychology (3rd ed., pp. 555–600). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197541302.013.15
Published
2026-07-22
How to Cite
Arianto, B., Poti, J., Gemilang, R., Ammelia, E., & Idiani, I. (2026). Online News Framing of Ansar–Nyanyang during the 2024 Kepulauan Riau Gubernatorial Election. DAWUH : Islamic Communication Journal, 7(2), 406-420. https://doi.org/10.62159/dawuh.v7i2.2241
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Copyright (c) 2026 Bismar Arianto, Jamhur Poti, Reza Gemilang, Euis Ammelia, Intan Idiani
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