Making Sense of Media and Politics : Five Principles in Political Communication

In Making Sense of Media and Politics, Gadi Wolfsfeld introduces readers to the most important concepts for examining the interrelationship of media and politics. Five major principles are used to summarize the major arguments: Political power can usually be translated into power over all forms of media. When the powerful lose control over the political environment, they also lose control over all forms of media. Every political story that appears in every form of media is biased. All forms of media are primarily dedicated to telling good stories, which can have a major impact on political processes. Many of the most important effects of the various forms of media on citizens tend to be unintentional and unnoticed. By identifying these five key principles of political communication, Wolfsfeld examines those who package and send political messages, those who transform political messages into stories, and the effects this can have on citizens, and how the more active members of the public ("users") can initiate their own stories. The result is a brief, engaging guide to help make sense of the wider world of media and politics and an essential companion to more in-depths studies of the field. Politics is above all a contest, and the news media are the central arena for viewing that competition. One of the central concerns of political communication has to do with the myriad ways in which politics has an impact on the news media and the equally diverse ways in which the media influences politics. Both of these aspects in turn weigh heavily on the effects such political communication has on mass citizens. In Making Sense of Media and Politics, Gadi Wolfsfeld introduces readers to the most important concepts that serve as a framework for examining the interrelationship of media and politics: political power can usually be translated into power over the news media when authorities lose control over the political environment they also lose control over the news there is no such thing as objective journalism (nor can there be) the media are dedicated more than anything else to telling a good story the most important effects of the news media on citizens tend to be unintentional and unnoticed. By identifying these five key principles of political communication, the author examines those who package and send political messages, those who transform political messages into news, and the effect all this has on citizens. The result is a brief, engaging guide to help make sense of the wider world of media and politics and an essential companion to more in-depths studies of the field. Politics Is Above All A Contest, And The News Media Is The Central Arena For Viewing That Competition. In Making Sense Of Media And Politics, Gadi Wolfsfeld Introduces Readers To The Most Important Concepts That Serve As A Framework For Examining The Interrelationship Of Media And Politics.