Media Discourse and Ad Hominem Communication in TV Discussions

Television talk shows often present a mix of well-reasoned and baseless debates, showcasing diverse communication styles. The way individual attitudes are articulated can highlight instances where the speaker employs communication tools of manipulations. This study focuses on the presentation of arguments, specifically the conveyance of informative and persuasive functions pertaining to a range of political, economic, social, and personal topics. The objective is to identify instances of ad hominem communication, determine the target audience of such communication, and analyze the communication context and potential repercussions. Ad hominem communication arises when the speaker references an individual, using the argument to target that person directly, thereby implicitly or explicitly undermining their credibility. This form of ad hominem is frequently observed in political discourse and competitive dialogues in general. For this research analytical matrix were employed as research tools in order to conduct a qualitative content analysis of ad hominem communication in relation to political, social, economic, and personal topics. The aim of this study is to introduce a model for analyzing communication styles based on a specific tool designed to shape perceptions of others or oneself. This model's implications are demonstrated through an analysis of a random sample from two episodes of the Croatian Radio Television's Sunday talk shows, which rank among the most-watched talk shows on Croatian national television. The episodes were chosen using a random number algorithm. The findings reveal the instances and manners in which speakers in the sampled episodes employ the ad hominem communication.