Introduction to Political Communication and Media

The word politics is derived from the Greek word “politika” (πολιτική), which means affairs of the cities.

Politics, from a conceptual standpoint, signifies the efforts to establish order while simultaneously representing the processes that emerge in representation of a specific group’s identity.

Bordens and Horowitz define social psychology as scientific research that describes how individuals are influenced alone or among groups, what they interact with, what they think and what they feel.

In this sense, assuming that politics also aims to ground the realities of life on a standard basis, we can see that social psychology will provide significant insights for understanding this field.

his term is known to have been articulated in reference by Robert Burke towards the end of the 18th century. While the clergy, aristocracy and the people symbolize the first three estates for France, for Britain, these representations are depicted as the king, the lords and the citizens, respectively, forming three fronts. Based on this, it is stated in the literature that media tools are added as a fourth power.

In parts of Central Europe, it is used as the “Seventh Power.” In the Anglo-Saxon world, the common term is “Fourth Power” but more recently, the term “watchdog” has also been used.

As technology evolves, mass media also undergo changes. They are transforming in form and experiencing differences in their follower demographics. Especially the self-reinterpretation of many mass communication tools with the advent of the internet has naturally led to diversification in political communication processes.

At this point, one of the first names that come to mind when political communication is mentioned, Harold D. Lasswell (1948/1971) contributed to the literature with his work, which laid the foundation for questions regarding who speaks, what they say, through which channel, to whom, and with what effect.

While sometimes the content may be in the foreground, the medium can take precedence at other times. Indeed, the medium can transform the message; the message can change the medium.

The phrase “the medium is the message,” used by Marshall McLuhan, provides significant insights regarding the message transmission process in this context. The intended point is the evolution of the technology used into a position that overshadows the content of the message

Agenda setting can be described as the practice of mass media prioritizing specific topics to present to the public over others, thereby attempting to set the agenda

Today, especially when evaluated in light of reflections on social media, agenda setting has become a method observed much more intensely. The tools used in setting the agenda now take the form of social media platforms.

These can be specified as priming and framing.

Regarding cultivation theory, it can be said that television focuses both on presenting exaggerated content and on changing the perception of the exposed audience

The uses and gratification theory meets us as an important theory that defines this need not directly in terms of need but in terms of the rationale for use. In this theory, the focus is known to be on the existence of a process where the individual, not the media, is at the center and on what the individual wants to do with the media.

Between the early 2010s, when traditional media tools were just beginning to acquaint themselves with social media platforms and the point reached today, there are some differences in the context of media surveillance. All processes, such as what is done, what is liked, what or who is followed and when actions are taken, fall within the scope of surveillance.

The media might hold and process information, but it should be to articulate clearly where, how and for what purpose this is done. When necessary, it shouldn’t shy away from sharing this openly with the public.

The theory, which began to be featured in the literature through the works of Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann, is known to describe the individual’s effort to adapt to the diversification experienced by society

The concepts that significantly help answer these questions are echoing chambers and filter bubbles.

The focus on technology has accelerated development, and this accelerated structure has begun to influence communication methods in terms of tools. Changing tools are also trying to shape the process by which individuals focus on relevant messages in the context of different new competencies.