Manufacturing the image : strategic and thematic influences on the 1996 and 1998 Maltese electoral campaigns

Abstract

Politicians have for years been pioneers in exploiting the mass media, even in its early years. The competition for votes has become so intense that it has become a media battle between the parties, where the image and impression have become the determinant factor in winning the election. The following is an in-depth and comparative study about the processes involved in the run up of the Maltese Electoral Campaigns of 1996 and 1998. The aim behind this study is to determine if the Americanisation of electoral campaigns has reached our shores, and if the local party leaders are in fact being mass marketed and packaged in order to appeal to the ever growing fickle electorate. This dissertation explores the history of political campaigns, makes comparisons between the US and UK campaign strategies, and proceeds to examine local campaign strategies for similar influence and adopted techniques.