Page 172 - An Introduction to Political Communication Fifth Edition

Intro to Politics Communication (5th edn)-p.qxp 9/2/11 10:55 Page 151

8

PRESSURE-GROUP POLITICS AND
THE OXYGEN OF PUBLICITY

This chapter explores the political communication practices of a
variety of non-party political organisations, including:

• Trade unions
• Single-issue and corporate lobby groups
• Terrorist organisations.

The preceding two chapters were concerned with the communication prac-
tices of the mainstream political parties as they seek to exert influence over
the political environment, public opinion and ultimately voting behaviour.
But as Chapter 1 stressed, party organisations are not the only political actors.
On the margins of the political mainstream exist a huge variety of organ-
isations which compete alongside the established parties for influence and
political efficacy. These organisations, like the parties, have been required to
learn the rules of the contemporary media game, and to use channels of mass
communication to further their objectives.

THE SOCIOLOGY OF SOURCE STRATEGIES

By definition marginal political actors, operating outside of the established
institutions, stand at a disadvantage with respect to mainstream parties, and
government and official bodies. They are relatively lacking in the resources
which enable the latter to make news and set public agendas. They are
unlikely to have the access to the sources of finance which are available to a
major political party, and thus to all the components of effective political
communication which money can provide: qualified professional and skilled
creative personnel, advertising and public relations material, etc. Neither
will they normally have access to the ‘cultural capital’ held by established
political actors – the credibility and authority which tends to accrue to office

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