Journal of Studies in Communication,
Film and Cultural Industries

Abstract

This article analyzes how digital influence networks can affect electoral competition in the context of geopolitical polarization and informational vulnerability. The study proposes an integrated approach, at the intersection of literature on disinformation, coordinated inauthentic behavior, computational propaganda, and network analysis, applied to the case of the 2024 Romanian presidential elections. Empirically, the research uses a methodological framework based on automated data collection from over 10,000 Romanian-language web sources, integration with social platforms via technical interfaces (APIs), sentiment analysis using Transformer models, and relational mapping of accounts. The analyzed material indicates the existence of a digital infrastructure centered on hub accounts, the most relevant being Daily Romania, connected to external nodes such as BRICS News, Zlatti71, and Olga Bazova, in a transnational amplification architecture. Furthermore, the dataset suggests a geographical concentration of negative messages against pro-European actors, with a 68% share associated with IPs from the Russian Federation. The article argues that the analysis of influence networks must be integrated into the study of democratic resilience and informational security.

Abstract

Social media plays a crucial role in shaping the flow of information during elections, but it also serves as a powerful channel for disinformation. Platforms like Facebook, X, TikTok, or YouTube enable almost instant dissemination of misleading narratives, conspiracy theories, and manipulated content. Algorithms prioritizing engagement often amplify emotionally charged or polarizing posts, giving disinformation greater visibility than fact-based reporting. Inflammatory ads, cloned news websites and deepfake videos are the most well-known means used to spread disinformation. During election periods, such content can distort public perception of candidates, undermine trust in institutions, and even discourage voter participation. The anonymity and speed of social media make it difficult to trace the origin of false information, while coordinated networks of bots or troll farms can boost the credibility of disinformation campaigns. This creates an environment in which voters may struggle to distinguish reliable sources from fabricated narratives, ultimately threatening the integrity of democratic processes. My paper aims to present the most frequently used disinformation tools in social media and some of the notorious cases when they were used in elections. I analyse the impact of social media platforms on election-related misinformation and the biases generated, with special regard on their ethical consequences.

Abstract

The article explores the transformation of propaganda and counterpropaganda in the context of the new paradigm of mass communication, shaped by digital networks, interactivity, and algorithmic mediation. Starting from classical theories of propaganda and communication models in the digital era, the article analyzes the manner in which propaganda has evolved from predominantly unidirectional processes to distributed and participatory forms. Increased attention is given to the relational dimension between propaganda and counterpropaganda. Counterpropaganda is conceptualized not only as an institutional response, but as a broader field of civic engagement, encompassing collaborative fact-checking, participation at the local level, and the construction of alternative narratives.

The paper proposes an integrative analytical framework for the study of contemporary cases of communication in situations of conflict, crisis, or war, with reference to Russian propaganda and Ukrainian counterpropaganda. This framework combines qualitative and quantitative research methods, including content analysis, network analysis, discourse analysis, and visual analysis, in order to capture the circulation of narratives and the dynamics of propagation within networks.

The article contributes theoretically by recontextualizing propaganda as a component of the informational ecology, rather than as a purely linear communicative process. From a methodological perspective, the article proposes a flexible research framework applicable to the study of propaganda and counterpropaganda in information warfare. The results provide analytical reference points for understanding communicative resilience in contemporary digital societies.

Abstract

In this first section, an exegetical approach is used to conceptualize disinformation both as an incidental phenomenon (involuntary or unsystematic) and as a deliberate practice (a calculated, intentional act). Here we examine the functions of language in relation to decision-making processes and trace the incremental evolution of disinformation—from untruth and lying to deception—as a subspecies of falsification. By utilizing the method of genus proximum and specific difference, the study seeks to derive rigorous definitions and concepts.

The methodological analysis will further investigate disinformation techniques, prioritizing the environments in which they operate, including oral communication, radio, television, the Internet, and institutional frameworks. These technological means are to be examined through both normative and descriptive lenses, highlighting the critical importance of lexical tools and the power of suggestion.

Abstract

The general objective of this study was to examine how the activities of a state leader are represented in the media of another country and to assess the quality of this media portrayal. At the international level, a country’s president serves as the highest representative of the state; therefore, a strong and constructive media presence on the global stage can support diplomatic and economic efforts, contribute to attracting foreign investment, strengthen trade relations, and reinforce the country’s standing within various international organizations.

The primary research method employed was content analysis, which enabled the collection of both quantitative and qualitative data and facilitated a comprehensive understanding of how the activities of the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, were covered by RIA Novosti - a news agency specializing in international information and owned by the Government of the Russian Federation. The research demonstrated that state-owned media institutions tend to promote specific agendas, which are often shaped by the political and economic interests of the state or its leadership. Consequently, the portrayal of a foreign president’s activity in another country’s media is significantly influenced by the nature of bilateral relations between the two states.

Abstract

In recent years, the process of interaction between representatives of media institutions in the Republic of Moldova and educational institutions that train future specialists in the field has become increasingly active. This fact happens, at least, out of several considerations: the human resource crisis facing the labor market in the media-communication field, as well as the need for media institutions to focus on young specialists who have sufficient digital skills to integrate media content into various convergent platforms and who would allow the substitution of auxiliary personnel within media institutions. The effects of the human resource crisis began to be felt immediately after the pandemic period, when many employees of media institutions moved their activity online, launching individual projects capable of ensuring their existence, visibility, but also continuous interaction with followers in the virtual space, many of whom completely renounced their affiliation with the media institutions in which they previously worked. In a very short period of time, employers have begun to focus on the beneficiaries of higher education, understanding that the crisis can be partially resolved by hiring young specialists, even if, in some cases, investments are still needed from the institution to train young people. However, a clear advantage of integrating young people into the labor market is gaining experience in the field of journalism and information, directly, in the workplace, partial bearing of the costs for the preparation and training of the specialist by the employer, as well as a known fact - faster career advancement. In the case of the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences of Moldova State University, which since 2025 has also launched a dual study program, another advantage it offers to students would be the possibility of hiring them with a monthly remuneration, which cannot be lower than the minimum wage in the real sector.

Abstract

Media consumers are increasingly turning to online news sources, accessing journalism through websites, search engines, and social networks. In this context, the visibility of journalistic content in search engine results becomes crucial for digital press outlets. This paper examines the integration of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) in digital journalism, outlining current practices (on-page, technical, and off-page SEO) and how newsrooms incorporate optimization while upholding editorial mission. The study highlights the need for a balance between SEO and journalistic ethics is emphasized, along with the importance of professional training in SEO and diversifying traffic sources.

Abstract

This analysis examines the debut issue of the Romanian magazine “Femeia” (The Woman) in July 1946, a period of impending socialist transition. It argues that the publication, while superficially an apolitical entertainment weekly focused on romance, fashion, and Hollywood, functioned as a potent vehicle for conservative, capitalist values and gender stereotypes. The article deconstructs the magazine’s format—highlighting its familiar tone, signature columnist “Monica,” and engaging mix of surveys and human-interest stories—to reveal how its professional and appealing presentation naturalized a traditional ideology.

Beneath its lighthearted content, “Femeia” reinforced a narrow, domestic sphere for women, excluded the elderly, and sensationalized topics like prostitution. While directly addressing the upcoming 1948 elections and women’s political role through curated questionnaires, the magazine’s underlying credo and clichés ultimately upheld patriarchal norms. The study concludes that “Femeia”’s 1946 iteration represents a form of effective, normalized propaganda, where entertainment subtly affirms existing power structures and social roles, contrasting with the overtly political propaganda attributed to its later socialist-era versions.

Abstract

This study explores the transformative and therapeutic potential of multimodal discourse in contemporary animated films, positioning (audio)visual translation (AVT) as a vital tool for the emotional recovery and identity reconstruction of refugee children. Beyond its traditional role as a linguistic transfer mechanism, AVT is analyzed here as an act of symbolic hospitality and affective mediation.

Drawing on trauma studies, multimodal discourse analysis, and sociology of migration, the paper examines the interaction between verbal and non-verbal signs in building emotional resilience. A significant portion of the analysis is dedicated to the divergent media paradigms of Romania and Ukraine, contrasting Romania’s tradition of subtitling with Ukraine’s deep-rooted culture of dubbing and its recent movement toward national identity reclamation through indigenous language media.

The study argues that multilingual accessibility on digital streaming platforms acts as a form of symbolic justice and discursive inclusion. By restoring the child’s right to their own language and narrative continuity, (audio)visual translation functions as a metaphorical bridge that counters social invisibility and fosters psychological stability. Ultimately, the act of translation is redefined as a performative and ethical practice of “care,” essential for maintaining the coherence of the self in the face of conflict and exile.

Abstract

This article examines cinema as a dynamic generator of cultural memory, arguing that filmic images do not merely document or represent the past; rather, they produce and reconfigure the imaginary by activating the specificity of the filmic medium and its modes of affective and symbolic transmission. Drawing on the theoretical frameworks developed by Jan and Aleida Assmann, Bernard Stiegler, Vivian Sobchack, and Alison Landsberg, the study conceptualizes cinema as a “memory machine” capable of shaping individual and collective perceptions and affects related to history, identity, and belonging. Contemporary visual culture—marked by digitalization, distributed and ubiquitous archives, and algorithmic circulation—intensifies this mnemonic function, transforming screen-worlds into privileged spaces where memory is stored, negotiated, contested, and reimagined.

The analysis advances three interdependent directions: (1) cinema as archive, through which film consolidates cultural narratives and contributes to the formation of public memory; (2) cinema as a producer of “prosthetic memories,” generating affective experiences that complement or substitute lived experience; and (3) cinema as a space of resistance, where alternative or marginalized histories become visible and forms of counter-memory emerge.

By examining examples from both classical and contemporary cinema— including films that address trauma, political conflict, migration, and identity—the study demonstrates how screen-worlds construct mnemonic infrastructures that reorganize the ways in which communities (re)present their past. In conclusion, the article argues that film functions not merely as a medium of representation; it is, above all, a cultural and epistemic technology engaged in the continuous (re)shaping of the imaginary of modern societies.

Abstract

This article explores the strategies through which film critique reconstructs image and trust in the contemporary media landscape, focusing on the 2022 television adaptation of Interview with the Vampire as a case study. It enhances its critical reception, as well as the manner in which language creates and modifies the image of certain characters, in comparison to the 1994 film adaptation and the literary portait created by Anne Rice. The analysis employs discourse and rhetorical methods to examine how the language of critics functions not only as an evaluative tool but also as a medium for establishing authority, credibility and audience confidence.

A central concern of this research is how critics manage the tension between adaptation fidelity and innovation. Reviewers frequently invoke comparisons with Anne Rice’s original novel and Neil Jordan’s 1994 film, while simultaneously legitimizing departures in characterization, narrative structure and representation. This negotiation of style, image and reliability often involves appeals to authenticity and ethical responsibility, particularly in relation to issues of race, sexuality, historical setting etc.

The study highlights the performative nature of critique; critics do not merely report on the series, but actively shape its cultural image by mediating debates about various points of interest, including identity, genre and fidelity. By proceeding as such, they participate in the broader cultural work of redefining trust in media evaluation, at a moment when skepticism and polarization dominate public discourse.

Résumé

La littérature joue un rôle essentiel dans la lutte contre l’oubli en problématisant des événements catastrophiques à impact individuel et collectif. Filtrées par le prisme autobiographique ou fictionnel, les expériences personnelles s’inscrivent dans un parcours existentiel où la souffrance devient un vecteur de connaissance et de reconfiguration identitaire. Toutefois, la littérature du traumatisme ne constitue pas nécessairement un espace de réparation : elle peut également fonctionner comme un lieu de réactivation du mal.

Cet article propose une relecture des trois premiers recueils poétiques d’Ion Caraion (Panopticum, L’homme projeté dans le ciel, Chants noirs), à partir de l’hypothèse de la persistance du mal historique et des tentatives d’intégration de l’événement traumatique. L’analyse mobilise les concepts d’acting-out et de working-through, issus des théories du traumatisme élaborées par Dominick LaCapra, afin d’interroger les modalités de fixation de la mémoire traumatique, les déclencheurs sensoriels et le rôle du corps dans la réactivation ou la mise à distance de l’expérience traumatique.

Abstract

This study explores the way in which the crisis is represented at the level of the fairy tale narrative, the methods used to reconstruct the image of the hero and the society in which it was triggered, reconnecting them with their deep inner plane. The crisis becomes the engine of the hero’s transformation and initiation, an essential stage of his initiatory path, which will reconfigure his existence, reordering and regenerating, at the same time, the community it impacts. Starting from the premise that the fairy tale is also a polyphonic narrative framework, the analysis will highlight the dynamics staged with the emergence of the moment of crisis, which cannot remain individual, also affecting the hero’s community. In terms of strategy, self-confidence, intelligence, courage, humanity, perseverance and wisdom are indispensable attributes for the hero who wants to resolve the crisis and go through the initiation process by confronting the opposing forces. Living between worlds, on the edge, the hero learns the art of communicating in adverse situations, in the face of powerful and dangerous opponents, learning the role of words and silence, transforming inconveniences into resources and creating lasting friendships that will support him unconditionally. In this way, the fairy tale remains a living and valuable document of communication capable of transforming crisis into a form of individual and cultural evolution and regeneration.

Résumé

Le présent ouvrage propose une lecture plurielle du visuel, envisagé comme un discours double, à la fois autonome et hétéronome, dont les structures communicationnelles reposent sur des significations existentielles, saisies sur la rétine de l’âme, incarnée à travers l’objectif de l’appareil photographique devenu une véritable „ pièce à vivre”, tandis que « le temps s’est transformé en espace ».

Puisque „tout discours, qu’il soit hétéronome ou autonome, naît de la confrontation avec les limites temporelles de la vie humaine” (Arthur Suciu), l’album „Dans l’attente du temps vecu” (,În așteptarea timpului avut”), coordonné par Emanuela Motrescu, invite à reconnaître la prévalence de l’altérité du tragique, car „la création est un vaste scénario pératologique, animé par la volonté divine de la limitation” (Nietzsche).

L’essai visuel proposé par Emanuela Motrescu récupère des fragments de liberté dans lesquels les postures humaines et les éléments de la nature deviennent des actants, des instances narratives qui configurent le contrepoint visuel. Le passage du trop-plein de l’espace visuel à la nudité du paysage met en valeur l’image en tant que support référentiel. Ainsi, le discours visuel est structuré sur deux plans discursifs: le paysage joue le rôle d’un discours autonome, en tant qu’instance subjective de l’humain, qui devient un actant du discours hétéronome, dont la prédication est assurée par l’alternance des plans visuels.

La photographie qui „guette pour capter un sens commun” se caractérise par deux plans universels, terrestre et cosmique, le lien ontologique étant le « chemin », en tant que métaphore temporelle et spatiale.

Les fragments textuels qui accompagnent les images photographiques dessinent un discours plurisémantique, réflexif, qui décode le contexte social des essais photographiques.