Abstract

This paper examines the thematic agendas, message characteristics, and citizen participation through the analysis of the most played Spanish political groups and their main leaders represented in the European Parliament videos on YouTube.
The main goal of the research is to detect whether the most interested and active users in the electoral process are utilizing the potential of digital media to increase their campaign knowledge (Gibson & McCallister, 2011); or whether, on the other hand, they are using it as a mere form of distraction, known as “politainment” (Nieland, 2008; Sayre & King, 2010; Schultz, 2012).