1. The Dynamics of Political Communication Chapter 1 Introduction to political communication
© 2018 Taylor & Francis

2. 2016 Democratic primary candidate Bernie Sanders
The 2016 Election
An election of firsts:
First woman nominated by a major political party
First president without public or military service background
First time Twitter was used so regularly to reach so many citizens
What else was “new” about
the 2016 election?
2016 Democratic primary candidate Bernie Sanders
© 2018 Taylor & Francis

3. How does Political Communication …
Affect democracy?
Affect us, the public?
Although politics today fills many with disgust, it has led to:
The abolition of slavery
The Civil Rights Act
Medicare
The minimum wage
Welfare
Many other social goods
President Lincoln used the tools of political communication to convince Congress to pass the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery.
© 2018 Taylor & Francis

4. Defining Political Communication
What are the take-aways
from these definitions?
The flow of messages and information that gives structure and meaning to the political process (Pye, 1993, p. 442)
Two sets of institutions – political and media organizations – which are involved in the course of message preparation in much “horizontal” interaction with each other while on a “vertical” axis, they are separately and jointly engaged in disseminating and processing information and ideas to and from the mass citizenry (Blumler, 2014, p. 39)
The communicative activity of citizens, individual political figures, public and governmental institutions, the media, political campaigns, advocacy groups and social movements (Jamieson & Kenski, 2014)
A complex, communicative activity in which language and symbols, employed by leaders, media, citizens, and citizen groups, exert a multitude of effects on individuals and society, as well as on outcomes that bear on the public policy of a nation, state, or community (Perloff)
© 2018 Taylor & Francis

5. A multilevel phenomenon
MACRO level effects
Public opinion
Institutional change
Political activism
Public policy
micro level effects
Individuals’ thoughts
Candidate assessments
Feelings
Attitudes
Behavior
© 2018 Taylor & Francis

6. Symbols and language
Leaders use “language to move people to think and act in ways that they might not otherwise think and act” (Ball, 2011, p. 42).
A symbol is a form of language in which one entity represents an idea or concept, conveying rich psychological and cultural meaning.
What are some examples of leaders, media, or citizens
using symbols for political communication?
© 2018 Taylor & Francis

7. Media & Mediatization
Mediatization emphasizes how media have transformed the structural relations of politics in society.
The process by which media have come to play a central role in politics:
Influencing institutions
Performing strategic functions for political elites
Imparting information & misinformation
Socializing young citizens into civic society
Creating the public spectacle of politics
Being the playing field on which politics occurs
© 2018 Taylor & Francis

8. Media Technology
Changes in media technology transform politics as well
Political communication is now a multi- media game
Online messages play a key role in presidential elections
Online media reveal content that would have been hushed up years ago
Boundaries between private and public have disappeared in politics
How would the 2016 election have been different
without the Internet and social media?
© 2018 Taylor & Francis

9. Diverse, Multifaceted, Blurred Lines Media
“The media” is not singular; there are many media and diverse platforms.
Conventional media used to serve as the sole gatekeepers.
Today we have a more multifaceted media than ever before.
Biased media co-exist with professional journalism and social media.
Political communication in an entertainment society is part of the popular culture.
© 2018 Taylor & Francis

10. Interplay among Leaders, Media and Citizens
The flow of political communication
Leaders and influence agents are the elite
The media are the next player
Centerpiece is the citizenry/public
Messages flow between these groups
Elites do not always dominate political communication
Where do viral videos fit in this model?
© 2018 Taylor & Francis

11. A global Phenomenon
Similarities in the role of media in democratic elections across the world:
Candidates adapt their strategies to fit the media
Journalists are important for defining and framing political issues
Marketing and opinion polling are mainstays
Politics is personalized; media communicate candidates’ personalities in addition to issue stances
There are still substantial differences due to cultural, structural, and economic factors. Comparative political communication studies the overlap and difference in political media systems around the world.
© 2018 Taylor & Francis

12. Conclusions
American presidential elections mix farce, entertainment, policy issues, big money, partisan politics, and democratic values
Politics is disparaged, but influences our lives in subtle, direct, and symbolic ways
Politics aims to reach consensus on decisions that can benefit the larger community
Political communication is…
a complex activity bridging political and media institutions
the domain of symbols
a mediated experience
influenced by technology
multifaceted
defined by a dynamic interplay among leaders, media, and citizens
a global phenomenon
© 2018 Taylor & Francis