Published: 2026-01-01
Kang Dedi Mulyadi Populist Communication and Its Impact on Local Leadership Perception
DOI: 10.35870/jtik.v10i1.5627
Downloads
Abstract
This study investigates how Kang Dedi Mulyadi (KDM) populist communication style influences public perceptions of local leadership in West Java. Through qualitative literature review, the research synthesizes insights from scholarly works, media analyses, and contextual sources to explore symbolic, cultural, and emotional dimensions of KDM leadership communication. Findings reveal that his use of Sundanese cultural codes, informal language, and direct grassroots engagement constructs an image of authenticity, empathy, and accessibility—enhancing short-term legitimacy while fostering strong emotional connections with constituents. Digital platforms amplify his persona by transforming political communication into viral, emotionally resonant storytelling that bridges the gap between elite governance and everyday citizens. Nevertheless, the research identifies critical concerns regarding sustainability of leadership models built primarily on symbolic action and performative gestures. While KDM communication resonates strongly with grassroots communities and redefines leadership legitimacy, it risks overshadowing institutional reform, policy depth, and governance sustainability. Such duality reveals the ambivalent nature of populist-local leadership in Indonesia: effective in mobilizing trust and visibility, yet vulnerable when not embedded within structural accountability and participatory governance frameworks
Keywords
Populist Communication ; Local Leadership ; Cultural Symbolism ; Political Branding
Article Information
This article has been peer-reviewed and published in the Jurnal JTIK (Jurnal Teknologi Informasi dan Komunikasi). The content is available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
-
Issue: Vol. 10 No. 1 (2026)
-
Section: Computer & Communication Science
-
Published: %750 %e, %2026
-
License: CC BY 4.0
-
Copyright: © 2026 Authors
-
DOI: 10.35870/jtik.v10i1.5627
AI Research Hub
This article is indexed and available through various AI-powered research tools and citation platforms. Our AI Research Hub ensures that scholarly work is discoverable, accessible, and easily integrated into the global research ecosystem. By leveraging artificial intelligence for indexing, recommendation, and citation analysis, we enhance the visibility and impact of published research.
Marlita Dilian
LSPR Institute of Communication and Business, Central Jakarta City, Special Capital Region of Jakarta, Indonesia
Lisvia Dianty Oktavia
LSPR Institute of Communication and Business, Central Jakarta City, Special Capital Region of Jakarta, Indonesia
Tiffany Shafa Fariskha
LSPR Institute of Communication and Business, Central Jakarta City, Special Capital Region of Jakarta, Indonesia
-
Ahmad, U., Zahid, A., Shoaib, M., & AlAmri, A. (2017). HarVis: An integrated social media content analysis framework for YouTube platform. Information Systems, 69, 25–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.is.2017.04.003
-
Alfikri, M. (2024). Gaya komunikasi budaya Dedi Mulyadi dalam mewujudkan Jabar Istimewa. Buana Komunikasi (Jurnal Penelitian Dan Studi Ilmu Komunikasi), 5(2), 133–140. https://doi.org/10.32897/buanakomunikasi.2024.5.2.3939
-
Awaluddin, Y., & Widiarto, D. S. (2025). Politik di era TikTok: Strategi komunikasi politik Dedi Mulyadi Gubernur Jawa Barat. Gudang Jurnal Multidisiplin, 3, 147–158.
-
Blassnig, S. (2022). Populism and social media. In The populism interviews: A dialogue with leading experts (pp. 106–111). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003250388-21
-
Fathony, I. I. (2025). Gaya komunikasi politik persuasif Gubernur Dedi Mulyadi sebagai pengambil kebijakan publik. Jurnal Desentralisasi Dan Kebijakan Publik, 6(1), 62–71.
-
Hatherell, M., & Welsh, A. (2020). Populism and the risks of conceptual overreach: A case study from Indonesia. Representation, 56(1), 53–69. https://doi.org/10.1080/00344893.2019.1663904
-
Herabudin, H., Khoerustalis, F., & Wahidah, I. (2022). Public perception of the role of regional leaders in preserving Benjang mask culture. IAPA Proceedings Conference, 212–223. https://doi.org/10.30589/proceedings.2022.696
-
Herlina, S., Boer, R. F., Fasadena, N. S., Kede, A., Kahfi, M. A., Ganiem, L. M., Putri, S. S., Hasibuan, N., Subchan, N., & Deryansyah, A. D. (2023). Pengantar ilmu komunikasi. CV Basya Media Utama.
-
Hernando, F. G., & Malinao, C. W. M. (2025). Leadership dynamics, administrative efficiency, leadership abilities & approaches among department heads in Ifugao Province, Philippines: Implications for effective governance. Masyarakat, Kebudayaan Dan Politik, 38(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.20473/mkp.v38i12025.1-13
-
Hidayat, D., Lyndon, N. A., & Mujianto, H. (2025). Dedi Mulyadi personal branding through "barracks" viral content. Journal of Communication Studies, 10(1), 97–120.
-
Kadri. (2022). Komunikasi manusia: Sejarah, konsep, praktik. ALAMTARA Institute.
-
Lalancette, M., & Raynauld, V. (2019). The power of political image: Justin Trudeau, Instagram, and celebrity politics. American Behavioral Scientist, 63(7), 888–924. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764219834838
-
Laturrakhmi, Y. F., Oktaviani, F. H., & Kriyantono, R. (2023). Communicative leadership among local leaders in Indonesia during COVID-19 crisis management. Jurnal Komunikasi, 15(2), 283–298. https://doi.org/10.24912/jk.v15i2.23314
-
Lim, J. B. Y. (2025). Digital media interventions in Southeast Asia. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10973-8
-
Nurhayati, R., Kuswarno, E., & Yulianita, N. (2019). The Sundanese head tie as a Sundanese political brand identity in Indonesia (Biographical study of Dedi Mulyadi politicians 2003-2018). International Journal of Engineering and Advanced Technology, 8(5), 1064–1076. https://doi.org/10.35940/ijeat.E1151.0585C19
-
Peña-Fernández, S., Larrondo-Ureta, A., & Morales-i-Gras, J. (2022). Current affairs on TikTok: Virality and entertainment for digital natives. Profesional de La Información, 31(1), Article e310109. https://doi.org/10.3145/epi.2022.ene.09
-
Priyowidodo, G. (2025). The impact of populist leadership on social cohesion in Indonesia's digital age: A netnographic perspective. In Proceedings 2024 "Critical vision: Mediatizing populism and authoritarianism" (pp. 49–66).
-
Rosyidah, R. H. (2025). Authenticity or image-making? A critical discourse analysis of KDM political persona on social media. Journal of Political Communication, 11(3), 3096–3106.
-
Saud, I. M., Nazaruddin, I., & Kholid, A. W. N. (2023). Leadership types and whistleblowing intention in public sector: The mediation role of justice. Journal of Accounting and Investment, 24(3), 841–860. https://doi.org/10.18196/jai.v24i3.19532
-
Schmidt, F. (2020). Party populism and media access: The news value of populist communication and how it is handled by the mass media. International Journal of Communication, 14, 4878–4900.
-
Sijaya, E., & Umuri, H. (2023). Community perception regarding the performance of the village head in Botubilotahu Village, Marisa District, Pohuwato Regency. Madani Jurnal Politik Dan Sosial Kemasyarakatan, 15(2), 322–343. https://doi.org/10.52166/madani.v15i02.4911
-
Tapsell, R. (2017). Media power in Indonesia: Oligarchs, citizens and the digital revolution. Rowman & Littlefield.
-
Törnquist, O. (2022). Dilemmas of labour and populism in Indonesia. In Local responses to global challenges in Southeast Asia: A transregional studies reader (pp. 265–285). World Scientific. https://doi.org/10.1142/9789811256462_0015
-
Udin, I. T. (2023). English for general communication. Widina Bhakti Persada.
-
Wettstein, M., Esser, F., Schulz, A., Wirz, D. S., & Wirth, W. (2018). News media as gatekeepers, critics, and initiators of populist communication: How journalists in ten countries deal with the populist challenge. The International Journal of Press/Politics, 23(4), 476–495. https://doi.org/10.1177/1940161218785979
-
Wibowo, A. (2020). English for communication 1: Purpose of the study. Yayasan Prima Agus Teknik.
-
Wicaksana, I. G. W., & Wardhana, A. (2021). Populism and foreign policy: The Indonesian case. Asian Politics and Policy, 13(3), 408–425. https://doi.org/10.1111/aspp.12594
-
Yohanes, Y., Elyta, E., Apriyani, E., Pribadi, U., Istiqoh, A. E., & Asriadi, A. (2024). Jambi community trust in local government: Mandatory coronavirus-19 vaccination. Jurnal Manajemen Pelayanan Publik, 8(1), 112–129. https://doi.org/10.24198/jmpp.v8i1.51778.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
1. Copyright Retention and Open Access License
Authors retain copyright of their work and grant the journal non-exclusive right of first publication under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
This license allows unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
2. Rights Granted Under CC BY 4.0
Under this license, readers are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, including commercial use
- No additional restrictions — the licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as license terms are followed
3. Attribution Requirements
All uses must include:
- Proper citation of the original work
- Link to the Creative Commons license
- Indication if changes were made to the original work
- No suggestion that the licensor endorses the user or their use
4. Additional Distribution Rights
Authors may:
- Deposit the published version in institutional repositories
- Share through academic social networks
- Include in books, monographs, or other publications
- Post on personal or institutional websites
Requirement: All additional distributions must maintain the CC BY 4.0 license and proper attribution.
5. Self-Archiving and Pre-Print Sharing
Authors are encouraged to:
- Share pre-prints and post-prints online
- Deposit in subject-specific repositories (e.g., arXiv, bioRxiv)
- Engage in scholarly communication throughout the publication process
6. Open Access Commitment
This journal provides immediate open access to all content, supporting the global exchange of knowledge without financial, legal, or technical barriers.