Abstract

This paper examined the use of new digital media of mobile phones as a tool for political campaign by candidates of a keenly-contested election of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Chapter in Nigeria. Critical linguistics and critical discourse analysis were employed to analyse the denotative and connotative meanings, the language used and their ethical implications. Findings show that the messages were framed in ways that thinly disguised their ideological intents. Most texts showed gender-sensitivity but were barely civil, replete with grammatical errors, were dramatic and used self-promoting languages, especially about candidates’ suitability for the positions sought. Based on the findings, the authors call for a conscious adoption of appropriate ‘techno-ethics’ in the use of digital technology in political communication.

Key Words: New Media, Political Campaigns, Ethics, Mobile Phones, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

^JCMRJournal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 7, No. 1, April 2015, 167 – 182 

©Delmas Communications Ltd.

About the authors

*Chikezie Emmanuel Uzuegbunam is a Lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.

**Dr. Ogochukwu Charity Ekwenchi, Ph.D., is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.

***Obinna Gregory Ugbo is a Postgraduate Student in the Department of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.

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