What is…..

PoliticalCommunication???

Today’s Lecture

• Key definitions

• Some context

• Models of political communication

What is politics?

The process of decision making that accommodates the requirements of all those affected by those decisions

A social process determined by the nature of society

What is Democracy

Direct translation is power of the people

• Works at some levels

Most democracies are based on some form of representation

Why is communication so important?

• To link represented and representatives– Aids decision making that serves societies’ best

interests

• To explain and inform about decisions

• Ongoing process of horizontal and vertical discussion and feedback creates social cohesion around legitimate governance

It is not all about distortion

It is far more than spin

And anyway what do we really mean by the term spin?

It is not all about distortion

It is far more than spin

And anyway what do we really mean by the term spin?

Who’s this guy?

And why is he relevant?

Political communication is…

• “crucial for the building of a society where the state and its people feel they are connected”

• [helps] gain legitimacy among and compliance from the people”

• Based on an understanding of the sender, media and receiver

Read: Lilleker, 2005, p. 1-17

But… • Electoral political organisations and actors

communicate…

• So do non-electoral organisations and actors

• The media has a large amount of input

• We can also add our opinions and experiences

• A HIGHLY COMPLEX ENVIRONMENT!

An unusual context

• Key actors, participants and audiences

• Part of the promotional culture

• Elements of the pre-modern, modern and post-modern

• Mirrors corporate communication yet also very different

• 5 unit learning outcomes (p2): read and understand them

• Lecture plus seminar weekly sessions

• Reading !!!!!!

• Assignments:• 1. End term 1

– Expectations

• 2. Start term 3– Expectations

Weighted marking criteria (p 3 & 4)

Tutorial support

Why is this ad unusual?

Theoretical Ideal

• Liberal/ plural democratic contexts = specific expectations & purposes

• ..“communication which should enable citizens to live democratically”.. (from Negrine 1996)

• Notion of ‘Public sphere’ (Habermas 1962)

Rhetoric and Ethics

• A rhetoric of political communication (Smith 1990)

• Ethics inherent in all communication (Johannesen in Denton2000) Central in political communication?

A click away

Direction

• The elite model – top down?

• The pluralist model – competition

• The Feedback model

• A mediated model

• The Democratic model – circular communication

• The interdependent model – detached synergy

• Citizen(s)

• Fragmented:• (From noble citizen to

apathetic cynic)• Flux:• Changing ‘tribal’

allegiances regularly

Perspectives you need to take

• Political communication expert

• Strategic• Comprehensive• Integrated • Multi-faceted

Perspectives you need to take

• Political communication expert

• Strategic• Comprehensive• Integrated • Multi-faceted

• Citizen(s)

• Fragmented:• (From noble citizen to

apathetic cynic)• Flux:• Changing ‘tribal’

allegiances regularly

The unit guide

• 5 unit learning outcomes (p2): read and understand them

• Lecture plus seminar weekly sessions

• Reading !!!!!!

• Assignments:• 1. End term 1

– Expectations

• 2. Start term 3– Expectations

Weighted marking criteria

Tutorial support

For Seminars

• What direction is pol comm in the UK (or any other nation you are familiar with), what is the evidence for this?

• How does this effect us as citizens?

• What should the direction be– Draw on advertising/marketing/pr/media/social

best practice