AI-Driven Media Analysis of Indian General Elections 2024

Arkreach, an AI-powered communications analytics solution, recently conducted an extensive analysis of online media articles around the ongoing General Elections to measure the significant impact of the media and news about the two national political contenders, the incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian National Congress leader, Mr. Rahul Gandhi. 

The extensive coverage analysis was conducted across 26,416 online news articles from 418 unique publications, spanning across 10 Indian languages, for the period of March 20, 2024 (coinciding with the issuance of the election gazette notification for the first phase) to May 25, 2024 (up until phase 6) – providing a comprehensive media narrative around the elections to illustrate the trends in the online media. 

Key Findings:

Volume of Coverage:

• PM Modi appeared in 13,848 articles.
• Rahul Gandhi featured in 7,616 articles.
• The 82% higher coverage for PM Modi is attributed to his incumbent status and frequent public appearances.

Language Diversity:

• PM Modi had broader regional language coverage, appearing not only in Hindi and English but also in Bangla, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, and Punjabi.

Sentiment Analysis

Positive Sentiment:

• PM Modi: 19.3% (2,672 articles)
• Rahul Gandhi: 12.7% (964 articles)

Negative Sentiment:

• PM Modi: 5.2% (719 articles), reach of 1.35 million
• Rahul Gandhi: 4% (308 articles), reach of 6.68 million
• Despite fewer negative articles for Rahul Gandhi, the higher reach indicates wider distribution of negative news.

Social Media Engagement:

• Rahul Gandhi’s content saw a 304% higher social media engagement compared to PM Modi, indicating greater public interest.

Neutral Coverage:

• PM Modi: 75.5% (10,457 articles), reach of 73.98 million
• Rahul Gandhi: 83.3% (6,344 articles), reach of 77.60 million

Arkreach utilised its unique AI-powered algorithm, which relies on progressive metrics, to examine online news media coverage from India. The coverage was evaluated across various metrics such as reach, share of voice, and sentiment. Arkreach has utilized unique AI-powered algorithm, that relies on progressive metrics, to examine online news media coverage from India. The coverage was evaluated across various metrics such as reach, share of voice, and sentiment that provided a precise analysis, only articles mentioning PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi in the headline were considered, thereby excluding mutually exclusive articles.

For a more precise analysis, only articles mentioning PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi in the headline were considered, thereby excluding mutually exclusive articles. The analysis spanned a period of 66 days, from March 20th to May 25th, 2024, and included a total of 26,416 articles. To ensure data integrity, Arkreach's measurement module analysed the entire coverage algorithmically, without any omissions.

Vishal Sharma, Chief Strategy Officer at Arkreach, noted, “As we analyse the complexities of media coverage during the 2024 Indian elections, it becomes evident how strategic language diversity and targeted engagement shape public perception. Our report highlights the nuanced approaches of both PM Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi, reflecting their distinct strategies to connect with a diverse electorate. At Arkreach, we are committed to providing deep insights that help decode these media narratives, empowering stakeholders with data-driven understanding.”

The analysis reveals notable variations in the two leaders' media coverage, which are influenced by their different public personas and media strategies. This discrepancy highlights how important social media is for connecting with younger audiences and engaged internet users, which could have an impact on election results.