Media and Politics

Quiz covering 0.1. Introduction

Answers on the next page

1. Explain communication and the difference between media in general - and artificial
media in political communication

2. What is a media technology determinist? Mention two examples of such determinists and
why this perspective can be criticized.

3. What is meant by talking about media texts as re-presentations of the world?

4. What is mediation and mediatization? What is the difference?

5. When Hoskins and OLoughlin refer to the new paradigm of war as diffused war - what do
they mean?
 1) Explain communication and the difference between media in general - and artificial
media in political communication.

Communication occurs when a sender is sharing a message with a receiver. In the broad sense
media is anything that can be used for communication. In the narrow sense it is usually used to
describe the artificial forms of media (the technology) that enables communication across longer
distances.

2) What is a media technology determinist? Mention two examples of such

determinists and why this perspective can be criticized.

The use of term determinist itself is intended as a critical description of the view often
associated with Medium theory - that technological development is unstoppable - and the
primary cause of social and political change. An optimistic view is said to be represented by
McLuhan: (The Global village, The medium is the message) and a pessimistic view is
attributed to Postman (Amusing Ourselves to Death). This view is criticized because it
downplays the human factor. Technologies are developed, used and controlled by human beings,
including political authorities.

3) What is meant by talking about media texts as re-presentations of the world?

The contents of media texts are always the results of choices in terms of subject, scripting,
editing, sequencing etc. Hence, they can never be mirrors in the sense of capturing everything
neutrally.

4) What is mediation and mediatization? What is the difference?

Mediation refers to (artificial) media being the dominant channel for communication. When
politics are described as mediated it means the media has become the most important
communication channel between governors and the governed. Mediatization is a process where
political communication becomes mediated and the media becomes gradually more independent
from politics and society, ending with political actors having to adapt to the demands of the
medias logic.

5) When Hoskins and OLoughlin refer to the new paradigm of war as diffused war -
what do they mean?

The conduct of wars has become mediatized, as Governments lose control over the media. New
non-state actors use media for their own purposes and media reports may delegitimize
Governments conduct of war. Mediatization and new actors makes it harder to predict the
relations between action and effect. Unexpected events occur and actions have unexpected
consequences. Of course, it then becomes harder for state actors to make the appropriate
decisions when they fight wars.