Social media means dominate media arena ahead of elections

KUWAIT: Social media means have dominated the media arena ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections slated for November 26 after imposing itself as one of the most prominent media outlets used by candidates to attract Kuwaiti voters. Smartphones left a clear imprint on the lives of people and their social relations in light of modern technology and communications revolution, thus, dominating their minds and times, prompting candidates to take advantage of these most influential tools to manage their campaigns, particularly those pertinent to media.

The diversity of services and privileges enjoyed by means of social media such as Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook has attracted candidates’ attention to resort to those means at the expense of traditional media of television, radio and newspapers.

The easy spread and efficiency of those social media were behind their success, however, the financial cost of the use of those means in the announcement of the electoral campaigns of the candidates are relatively equal with traditional media.

The cost of a 140-character tweet in Twitter or an advertisement or a video in Instagram or Twitter is equal to any post in local newspapers or television channels, which range between 300 and 1,000 Kuwaiti dinars. Companies working in this field become very busy during the elections race, offering special media packages for candidates in the social media means ranging between KD 10,000 to 60,000.

Key player

Meanwhile, owner of Omedia company Abdulwahab Al-Issa said in a statement that means of social media are the key player in the arena during elections and have now became more superior than traditional media means.

He attributed such excellence due to the speed of those means in achieving the sought objectives through their speed, wide spread and their influence as well as their cost, saying that the cost of those social media means are almost equal with the traditional media outlets.

He added that the social media means have dominated the advertising market in Kuwait, especially through media campaigns of candidates running for the National Assembly elections 2016 so that they can display their electoral programs and visions to the voters.

He said that social media has shown “its strength and effectiveness,” where the traditional media cannot compete with it, thanks to its ability in enriching the media message thanks to its unique and distinctive services and value.

Domination

In the meantime, Deputy Director of Business Development at ‘Ghalia’ company Sulaiman Al-Ghareeb said that companies operating in the field of social media were keen to sign agreements with international and specialized companies, in addition to the establishment of partnerships with a number of news services, newspapers and specialized websites to dominate the media arena and advertising markets in the State of Kuwait. He said that the attention given for the development of work in the social media means came to compete in the provision of the best media and advertising services in the social media means to serve the electoral campaigns of candidates for the upcoming elections.

He added that the bids submitted by those companies for the candidates differ in their value, means and diversity which range between KD 13,000 and 60,000. He pointed out that social media means are now more influential during the campaigns thanks to their flexibility and easy access to the voters.