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Celebrification of Politics: Understanding Migration of Celebrities into Politics Celebrification of Celebrity Politicians in the Emerging Democracy of Indonesia

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Abstract

This work proposes a theory of ‘celebritisation of politics’. It assumes that celebritisation of politics takes shape once politics and political affairs are celebritised. It argues that in democratic countries, not merely individual celebrity turns into politician (celebrification of celebrity-politician), but also individual politician transmutes into celebrity (celebrification of celebrity-politician). The degree to which these celebrifications take place is likely determined by the country-, the media-, celebrity- and audiences-related factors. The first includes political party, government, media and election systems. The second incorporates mediatisation, representation and commodification of celebrity politician by the media and political economic structures of the media and cultural industries. The third consist of diversification and migration of celebrity politician and his/her personal and professional backgrounds. The fourth is connected with characteristics of the audiences addressed by the media and cultural industries, celebrity politician and political actor and organisation s/he associated with. Focusing on Indonesia’s democracy, this work reveals that establishments of the democratic political, media and election systems lead to celebrification of celebrity-politicians taking place in this country. In facing the parliamentary and local government elections, political parties recruited and commoditised substantial number of celebrities as candidates and represented them as political leaders to captivate the electorates and seek either parliamentary or local government offices. Some of them succeeded in such elections. They were migrating not merely across political parties, but also across the election arenas. Total number of those who turned into celebrity-politicians increased substantially, but none of them successfully came up as prominent politicians.

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Notes

  1. These are stipulated by Articles of the amended-Indonesian National Constitution of 1945, which are Articles No.4, No.10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16

  2. As stipulated by Article No.6A of the amended-National Constitution of 1945.

  3. Based on Article No. 19 point 1 and Article No.22c of the amended-National Constitution of 1945

  4. As imposed by Article No.18, point 3 of the amended-National Constitution of 1945

  5. As regulated by Article No.18, point 4 of the amended-National Constitution of 1945

  6. As imposed by Articles No.5 [1], No.20 [1], No.27 and No.28 of the amended-Indonesian National Constitution of 1945

  7. As imposed by Articles No 20 (points 1, 2 and 4), 21 (point 1), 28F, 31 (point 1), 32, 33 (point 3) and 36 of the amended-National Constitution of 1945

  8. Personal interview with Arif Zulkifly, Chief Editor of Tempo Magazine, 23 September 2014 and Suryo Pratomo, Chief Editor of Metro TV, 15 May 2014

  9. Personal interview with Angelina Sondakh, a former MP of Democratic Party, 27 September 2008.

  10. Personal interviews with PS, a senior journalist of Trans 7, 23 September 2014 and RK an editor-in-chief of VIVA NEWS, 26 September 2014

  11. Personal interviews with SP, an editor-in-chief of Metro TV, 31 October 2014 and YE, an editor-in-chief of MNC TV, 13 November 2014

  12. Personal interviews with SR, an editor-in-chief of Okezone.com, 10 October 2014 and YAN, a vice editor-in-chief of KOMPAS TV, 6 November 2014

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Communication Science, Faculty of Social and Political Science, the University of Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

    Nyarwi Ahmad

  2. (CESASS), the University of Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

    Nyarwi Ahmad

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Correspondence to Nyarwi Ahmad.

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Ahmad, N. Celebrification of Politics: Understanding Migration of Celebrities into Politics Celebrification of Celebrity Politicians in the Emerging Democracy of Indonesia. East Asia 37, 63–79 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12140-020-09332-z

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