Models and Definitions Gianpietro Mazzoleni La 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 movements, 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 From politics to media Regulation News management Politics as a source From politics to citizenship Public communication Personal relationships Electoral ads

Kinds of relationship between actors 2 From citizenship to politics Voting Public debate Direct relationships Polls and surveys From media to politics General information Watchdog journalism Partisan information Mediatization

Kinds of relationship between actors 3 From media to citizenship General information Partisan information Political advertising From citizenship to media Exit from a TV or a journal Blog, post, citizen journalism

Developments of the communication research 1 Infancy Rhetoric Propaganda Attitudes changes Voting Government-media relationships Functional analysis Technological improvements

Developments of the communication research 2 Adulthood Electoral communication Political information Political rhetoric Information, political attitudes, and political behaviors

Developments of the communication research 3 The European countries Beyond “limited effects” (spiral of silence) An holistic (vs atomistic) perspective Mixed (positive and critic) approach Taking a normative perspective in account Interactions between media and politics Longitudinal, long-trend analysis Growing comparative research

The phases of the political communication 1 Since WWII to the Fifties Preeminence of the mass parties Citizens strongly identified with them

The phases of the political communication 2 From the Sixties to the Eighties Fading away of the party identification (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 communication 3 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 communication 4 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