Models and Definitions

Gianpietro MazzoleniLa comunicazione politica

Chapter 2

Political communication as defined by Wikipedia

• Political Communication is a sub-field of political science and communication that deals with the production, dissemination […] and effects of information, both through media and interpersonally, within a political context. This includes the study of the media, the analysis of speeches by politicians and those that are trying to influence the political process, and formal and informal conversations among members of the public […]. The media acts as bridge between government and public.

Actors of the political communication

• Political system– Institutional actors: parliament, central and local

government, judiciary, head of state– Non institutional actors: parties, social

movememnts, interest groups

• Media system– TV, radio, press, books, cinema, new media

• Citizenship– Single people, public opinion, electorate

“Pubblicistico-dialogico” model of political communication

Mediatized model of political communication

Kinds of relationship between actors 1

1. From politics to media1. Regulation2. News management3. Politics as a source

2. From politics to citizenship1. Public communication2. Personal relationships3. Electoral ads

Kinds of relationship between actors 2

1. From citizenship to politics1. Voting2. Public debate3. Direct relationships4. Polls and surveys

2. From media to politics1. General information2. Watchdog journalism3. Partisan information4. Mediatization

Kinds of relationship between actors 3

1. From media to citizenship1. General information2. Partisan information3. Political advertising

2. From citizenship to media1. Exit from a TV or a journal2. Blog, post, citizen journalism

Developments of the communication research1 Infancy

• Rhetoric• Propaganda• Attitudes changes• Voting• Government-media relationships• Functional analysis• Technological improvements

Developments of the communication research2 Adulthood

• Electoral communication• Political information• Political rhetoric• Information, political attitudes, and political

behaviors

Developments of the communication research3 The European countries

• Beyond “limited effects”• The holistic perspective• Mixed approach• Taking a normative perspective in account• Interactions between media and politics• Longitudinal, long-trend analysis• Growing comparative research

The phases of the political communication1 Since WWII to the Fifties

• Preeminence of the mass parties• Citizens strongly identified with them

The phases of the political communication2 From the Sixties to the Eighties

• Fading away of the party identification (or end of ideology)

• Growing use of the TV (public and commercial)

• Involvement of previously detached citizens• Professionalization of the campaigning

The phases of the political communication3 Since the Nineties

• Professional management of the relationship with the public opinion by the spin doctors

• Infotainment as an usual practice• Populism (as pop politics)• Targeting• Random exposition to political messages

The phases of the political communication4 New tendencies

• Non monopolistic use of the ICT (Information and Communication Technology) due to the access to the Web

• Generalized use of the public and commercial TV

• Changing boundaries of the citizenship