Page 138 - Comparing Political Communication Theories, Cases, and Challenge

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Pippa Norris

office. Information in the political marketplace comes from two primary
sources. Personal interactions commonly include informal face-to-face
political conversations with friends, family, and colleagues; traditional
campaignrallies;communityforums;andgrassrootsmeetings.Thesein-
formationresourcesremainimportant,especiallyforelectioncampaigns
in poorer democracies, and the growth of e-mail and online discussion
groups may revive the importance of personal political communications
(Norris 2000). But these channels have been supplemented in modern
campaigns by the mass media, including the printed press (newspapers
and magazines), electronic broadcasts (radio and television news), and
also more recently the bundle of technologies associated with the In-
ternet (including political Web sites). The rise of the Internet may be a
particularly important development for the process of democratization,
due to its potential for interactive, horizontal linkages breaking down the
traditional boundaries of space and time, and facilitating oppositional
voices, new social movements, and transnational advocacy networks,
despite the highly uneven distribution of these technologies around the
globe (Norris 2001, ch. 1).
Classicalliberaltheoriessuggestthatthefreepressservestostrengthen
the process of democratization and human development in their watch-
dog role, where the channels of mass communications function to
promote government transparency and public scrutiny of those in au-
thority, highlighting policy failures, maladministration by public offi-
cials, corruption in the judiciary, and scandals in the corporate sector
(Donohue and Tichenor 1995). Ever since Edmund Burke, the “fourth
estate” has traditionally been regarded as one of the classic checks
and balances in the division of powers (K¨ ocher 1986). Investigative
journalism can open the government’s record to external scrutiny and
critical evaluation, and hold authorities accountable for their actions,
whether public sector institutions, nonprofit organizations, or private
companies.
Equally vital, in their civic forum role, liberal theories argue that the
free press can provide a public sphere, mediating between citizens and
the state, facilitating informed debate about the major issues of the day
(Dahlgren 1995; Dahlgren and Sparks 1995). If the channels of com-
munication reflect the social and cultural diversity within each society,
in a fair and impartial balance, then multiple interests and voices are
heard in public deliberation. This role is particularly important during
political campaigns. Fair access to the airwaves by opposition parties,
candidates, and groups is critical for competitive, free, and fair elections.

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