How Did Babalatv Change Online Polarization On Twitter?

Social media has become a crucial platform in democratic processes, reshaping thepublic sphere by creating interactive spaces where individuals can engage with politicalactors and each other. However, its criticized for creating echo chambers,driven by factors such as homophily, selective exposure and social media feed algorithms,which limit exposure to politically diverse perspectives. In this study,we hypothesize that in countries like Turkey, where the media is heavily controlledand society is highly polarized, shows such as ‘Mevzular Acik Mikrofon’ with openQ&A format reduce the political polarization by offering public space free of censorship.To test this hypothesis, we collected data about the ‘Mevzular Acik Mikrofon’videos posted on the YouTube channel BaBaLa TV, along with the other politicaldiscussion shows. Integrating with the #secim2023 dataset, we developed a ideologyestimation model and applied it to examine changes in follower composition forguest politicians before and after their program appearances. Results shows that‘Mevzular Açık Mikrofon’ opens a alternative channel to reach politically diverseaudience, increasing exposure to different political messages. This in turn reducesthe political polarization. Also, through the analyses of sentiment and linguisticvariation of audience comments and transcript of show’s videos, we further supportour findings. These results contribute to broader discussions on the role of digitalmedia in democratic processes and polarization dynamics.