Pilkada Surabaya During Covid-19 Pandemic: The Spectacle Beneath Political Campaign

Abstract

During Covid-19 pandemic, two candidate pairs for the mayor of Surabaya were taking advantage of social media and cyberspace to conduct online campaign. TikTok and Instagram are two social media that were intensely used in their campaign. The campaign period happened from September until early December 2020 was utilized by two pair of candidates, Eri Cahyadi-Armuji and Machfud ArifinMujiaman. By this background, this research examines the utilization of social media on online campaign during Covid-19 pandemic. How did regional election “Pilkada Surabaya” take place in the middle of a pandemic? How has online campaign contributed to the spectacle in cyberspace and the extent to which citizens have participated in electing mayor-vice mayor in the pandemic situation? This study explores online campaign as a form of spectacle that cannot be avoided and provides exposure to netizens as well as citizens, especially during pandemic. Apart from the spectacle, online campaign also contributes shaping political identity in cyberspace. This research analyses media texts with a critical approach by using the theory of society of the spectacle by Guy Debord. The research scope is the period of 2020 on social media owned by the two mayoral candidates. The result of this research on media texts is that cyberspace provides a space that is almost without borders and geographic boundaries, however cyberspace also lies in its temporary nature. This condition creates spectacle where visual images are important because of the idea of appearance. For political discourse, this condition makes it easier for two candidates’ campaign to attract the attention of voters, but it does not promise the success of mayorship in leading a city.