DOI: 10.26466/opusjsr.1963584 ISSN: 2791-9781

Manipulative packaging in YouTube journalism: A quantitative content analysis in the Turkish context

Eren Efe
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This study examines the manipulative packaging patterns established between headlines, thumbnails, and video content in YouTube journalism, using Türkiye as an example. The research applies quantitative content analysis to 270 videos published on nine news channels between December 1 and 31, 2025. A composite total manipulation score based on 13 indicators is created to measure manipulation in the headline-thumbnail-content relationship. This score is evaluated in conjunction with channel types and click orientation. The findings show that manipulation differs not only in intensity but also in the composition of the indicators used among channels. While visual-discursive packaging and promise-content divergence are more pronounced in institutional news channels, manipulation in personal broadcasting examples focuses on personal reactions and performative narratives. The study conceptualizes clickbait not merely as a technique consisting of sensational headlines, but as a multi-layered presentation regime operating through the promise relationship established between headline, thumbnail, and content. In this respect, the article contributes to the discussion of manipulation in platform-based journalism through measurable indicators, channel profiles, and visibility pressures.

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