The rapid growth of TikTok has transformed adolescents' communication practices by creating a hyperreal digital environment that shapes language use, self-expression, and identity construction. While previous studies have primarily examined TikTok's influence on social interaction and digital behavior, limited attention has been given to how hyperreality constructs the communication styles of Generation Alpha within school settings. This study aims to analyze the construction of Generation Alpha's communication style in the context of TikTok hyperreality at SMP Negeri 01 Tegal by integrating Baudrillard's theory of hyperreality with Norton's communication style framework. A qualitative phenomenological approach was employed through observations, in-depth interviews, and documentation involving 15 students who actively use TikTok. The findings reveal that TikTok functions not only as a social media platform but also as a symbolic environment that reconstructs students' communication practices. Five dominant communication styles—dramatic, animated, open, friendly, and impression-leaving—emerged as manifestations of continuous exposure to TikTok's digital culture. The study further demonstrates that hyperreality encourages students to adopt viral expressions, digital symbols, and idealized online identities, resulting in more expressive yet less formal communication patterns and diminishing the intensity of face-to-face interactions. These findings extend the application of hyperreality theory to the context of adolescent digital communication and provide practical implications for strengthening digital literacy and communication ethics programs within schools.
This study aims to analyze communication patterns between fathers and children in shaping children’s self-confidence in Tegal City. This research employed a qualitative approach with a descriptive design. The informants were selected using purposive sampling and consisted of eight father–child pairs. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation, then analyzed through data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The findings show that interpersonal communication between fathers and children plays an important role in developing children’s self-confidence. Open and empathetic communication makes children feel safe, heard, and valued. Fathers’ support and positive attitudes encourage children to try new experiences, participate in social activities, and develop positive self-perception. Meanwhile, equality in communication creates warm and pressure-free relationships, allowing children to express their opinions more confidently. Conversely, the lack of father involvement may create emotional distance and communication barriers that lead to functional fatherlessness. This study confirms that children’s self-confidence is shaped not only by internal factors but also by the quality of father-child communication that is emotionally present, consistent, and meaningful.
Film functions not only as a medium of entertainment but also as a communication medium that represents various social messages through humor. Although studies on humor in Indonesian films have continued to develop, research specifically examining humor communication in Si Paling Aktor using Roland Barthes' semiotic approach remains limited. This study aims to analyze humor communication in Si Paling Aktor by interpreting the levels of denotation, connotation, and myth. The research employed a descriptive qualitative approach using Roland Barthes' semiotic analysis. Data were collected through observation of humorous scenes and analyzed based on denotative, connotative, and mythical meanings, supported by Arthur Asa Berger's humor theory. The findings reveal that humor communication in the film is constructed through six forms of humor: irony, satire, verbal humor, hyperbole, situational irony, and slapstick. At the denotative level, humor is expressed through dialogue, actions, facial expressions, and situations that generate comedic effects. At the connotative level, humor represents ambition, professionalism, the pursuit of social recognition, and everyday social dynamics, while at the mythical level it reproduces and critiques social constructions concerning social status, meritocracy, masculinity, validation culture, and standards of self-perfection. The findings demonstrate that humor in Si Paling Aktor functions not only as entertainment but also as an effective communication strategy for conveying social criticism, representing life values, and constructing cultural meanings.
This study aims to analyze the implementation of the School Literacy Movement (GLS) program and the differences in reading interest of eighth-grade students at SMP Negeri 7 Medan. The research used a mixed methods approach with a one-group pretest–posttest design. Quantitative data were obtained through a reading interest questionnaire given to 33 eighth-grade students before and after the implementation of the program, while qualitative data were obtained through observations, interviews, and documentation. Quantitative data were analyzed using the Paired Sample t-test, while qualitative data were analyzed through data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. The research results show that the implementation of GLS is carried out through 15-minute reading activities before learning, the use of reading corners, and other literacy activities involving teachers, students, and parents. The statistical test results showed an increase in the average student reading interest from 72.533 to 85.139 with a significance value of < 0.001. Thus, there is a significant difference in the reading interest of eighth-grade students before and after the implementation of the School Literacy Movement program.
The rapid development of digital media has encouraged content creators to utilize regional languages as communication strategies to strengthen audience engagement while reinforcing cultural identity. Although previous studies have examined the use of local languages on social media, research specifically explaining how the Ngapak language functions as a digital communication strategy for building audience engagement through the perspective of symbolic interactionism remains limited. This study aims to analyze the Ngapak language-based digital communication strategy employed by the TikTok accounts @RofiqKompak and @Mamichula in fostering audience engagement. A qualitative approach was employed using Herbert Blumer's Symbolic Interactionism framework, emphasizing the concepts of meaning, language, and thought. Data were collected through content observation, documentation, and analysis of audience interactions in the comment sections. The findings reveal that the Ngapak language functions not only as a communication tool but also as a symbol of cultural identity that creates meaning, emotional closeness, and social relationships between creators and audiences. The @RofiqKompak account utilizes Ngapak as a personal branding strategy by combining local identity with experiences of working in South Korea, whereas @Mamichula employs Ngapak to reinforce communication authenticity despite visual characteristics that initially lead audiences to perceive the creator as a foreigner. The findings further demonstrate that the use of the Ngapak language encourages audience participation through comments, likes, and shares while strengthening creator identity and fostering digital community formation on TikTok. This study contributes to the development of digital communication literature by highlighting the strategic role of local cultural identity within symbolic interactionism and offers practical implications for content creators in designing authentic, contextual, and engagement-oriented digital communication strategies.
