Political systems require the mediation services of the mass media, be it to produce democratic publics, be it to have a propaganda effect on the population. In democratic systems, the media is often assigned the role of a “fourth power” along with the legislature, judiciary, and executive because they have information, opinion-forming, criticism, and control functions. The success of businesses or services such as New York driving course is sometimes linked to media advertisement.
Relationship between media and politics
Systemically, media and politics are closely related. The political system partly derives its public legitimation from the media, while the media, conversely, are dependent on information from politics in order to fulfill their reporting obligation.
- Politics adapts to the media by adapting the information it offers to the selection and presentation rules of politics.
Politicians conduct active public relations work in order to make political issues and figures public objects. During the election campaign, in particular, the public relations work of political actors is now supported or even entirely designed by professional public relations workers.
- In media policy, on the other hand, political actors and “socially relevant groups” shape the legal framework for the media.
Parties and organized interests control broadcasting in the media corporations and broadcasting councils, and in the public broadcasters, they have a massive influence on the selection of personnel for the broadcasters.
- Particularly in the area of dissemination of information, close personal networks have often developed, which include politicians and journalists. Mostly it is assumed.
There is an increasing danger that politics will become a marginal segment of the overall program and that the publicity and integration function of the media will be lost. The pressure on politicians to adapt more to the entertainment needs that dominate television consumption, in particular, is growing, and the media presentation of politics by political actors is becoming more professional.
Politics is more personalized, addressing the audience is emotionalized. Formats such as talk shows accommodate the new public appearance of the political. Whether the political itself changes in the course of the transition even sink into insignificance and is shifted to a background of political power that is only accessible to the elite.