1STOF TABLES AND FIGURES

)ter 7

'endencies of mediatization and cultural change 146

Foreword: Comingro
Foreword:Coming TO
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lrawing 179
Terms With
Terms With 'Mediatization'
IMediatization l

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lrawing 186
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lrawing 191 SONIA LIVINGSTONE 1
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:reengrab ofBruuns Bazaar 194
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ofBruuns 195
of Patrizia Pepe
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,ter 1O

four-dimensional conceptualization of the mediatization of politics 216

,ter 12
Society is witnessing
witnessing a historic
historie shift from a dualistic
dualistic communication environment
communication environment
he process of texturation as the production of spaces of belonging 248 in which mass mediated
mediated communication
communication variously
variously gradually
gradually carne
came to complement
complement ':!
or undermine
undermine the traditional
traditional reliance on interpersonal
interpersonal communication.
communication. We are are
moving towards an environment
environment characterized
characterized by diverse, intersecting,
intersectirig, and still-
evolving forms of multimodal,
evolving multimodal, interactive,
interactive, networked
networked forms of communication.
communication.

/v1 ¿bJA/1
j,/1,
C !JJIt!! f,t7MAJ,
fA7MAJ,
The academic
academic world is grappling
which to understand
grappling with competing
understand these changes.
competing concepts
changes. Although
forms-digitally convergent,
nicative forms-digitally
concepts and frameworks
frameworks by
Although we seem gripped by new commu-
convergent, hybridized,
commu- ¿
remediated, intertexual-it
hybridized, remediated, intertexual-it i~
,,'i,. r
by"",.
/ \
r' •

(1(J1f
(1 (J )f ~~~f
~f ~ lJ
-) \J et~tJ el II
the analysis of the entire communication
communication environment
rests on a critical understanding
environment that matters. This in tur~ /
socio-historical processes
understanding of the socio-historical
are shaped by that environment-globalization,
processes that shape and
environment-globalization, individualization,
individualization, commercialisa-
commercialisa-
tion, and (the object of this volume) mediatization.
mediatization.
~.s..t~c4~\
~.s..t~C,.f~\ Both society in general and scholars in particular
with the growing
particular have yet to come to terms
importance of media power. This book examines
growing importance examines the idea that, •

,<,~t-:~~b'1'
ill order to do so, scholars must also come to terms with, indeed to embrace,
iu embrace, the

l<~t-: ~Jb"\ , notion of 'mediatization.'

scholarship
'mediatization.' Although
scholarship is now conducted
Although an awkward
awkward word in the English language,
conducted within a global, and therefore
therefore multilingual,
language,
multilingual, dialogue.
dialogue.

p~
pr;_
f Pr/C¼,J
fprtaM,j _e!"
é: ¿_ (,ft,/~A-.
~Á-.
Distinct from, though ovcrlapping
1
IHost languagcs to refer
11ost languages
overlapping with, thc
rcfcr to processes
the notion of'mcdiation,'
proccsscs of conciliation,
of 'mediation,' which cxists
conciliation, intcrvcntion,
exists in
ncg-otiation
intervention, or negotiation
 X
x I fOrU:WOJw:
11 ORLWOJW: COMINC
COMINC TO HRMS
TERMS WITH
WITH 'MrnlATIZATION'
'MEDIATllATION' FORl:WORD: COMING TO TERMS WITH 'M[[)IATIZATION' ! XI

rr languag~s, 'mediatization'
'mediatization' refers to the meta process by which everyday practices Thus the concept allows us to rethink questions of media power in terms of richly
,..••. \i and s~c1~
\¡ S~Cl~ relations are historically shaped by mediating technologies and media contextualized,
contextualized, strongly historical processes that reject narrowly linear assump-
l
I orgamzat1ons.
orgamzatIOns. tions about media effects or impacts.
~~ Such distinctions are ali
all too easily lost in translation. But the argument here These are grand claims we are making-first,
making-first, that the media mediate every-
is that the media do more than mediate in the sense of 'getting in between'- thing, entering into and shaping the mundane yet significant relations among
whether to generate mutual understanding
understanding by reconciling adversaries or whether individuals and between individuals and society; and second, as as a result,
result, that the
to promote (and naturalise the effects of) powerful interests, as insightfully analy- media mediate more than ever before, ushering in historical changes that may be
Keywords: A Vocabulary
sed by Raymond Williams' Keywords: Vocabulary ofCulture
of Culture and
and Society.
Society. Rather, judged more or less critically. The first is a claim about meaning, process, con- (~
they also alter the historical possibilities for human communication
communication by reshap- nection; the second is a claim about the gradual transformatfüñoTpower
transformatlonoTpower relations
organizations and their publics but among a1l
ing relations not just among media organizations all among institutions and publics; these claims are, of course, mutually interde- .
institutions-government, commerce, family, church, and so forth.
social institutions-govemment, Consider a striking parallel. In the early nineteenth century, Napoleon
pendent. Considera
implicidy marked even in how we label our work. Several decades
This claim is implicitly mediatized the states of the Holy Roman Empire by interposing an intermedi-
entided 'Mass Communication
ago, research in this field was published in books entitled Communication ate level of territorial authorities between the miscellany of independent cities,
retided 'Mediated Politics' or
and .. .' or 'Television and .. .' Now, our books are retitled the princes and the archbishops and the Emperor, as legitimized by the German
'Mediated Health' or 'Mediated F Family'.
amily'. This linguistic shift signals an analytic Laws of Mediatization.
Mediatization. As Wikipedia explains, 'Mediatization,
'Mediatization, defined broadly,
refocusing from a social analysis in which the mass media constitute one among is the subsumation of one monarchy into another monarchy in such a way that
many influential but independent institutions whose relations with the media can the ruler of the annexed state keeps bishis or her sovereign title
tide and, sometimes, a
be usefully analysed, to one in which everything is mediated, the claim being that of local power.'
measure oflocal
all influential institutions in society have themselves been transformed through It appears today that, with scarcely less audacity, Rupert Murdoch and the
the history of mediation. According to the earlier model, media and communi- other media moguls of this world are interposing their global capitalist media
cation studies analyse the relationship between media and politics, say, while in governments (and other religious, educational, or
institutions between publics and govemments
other disciplines they analyse the relation between politics and the health, or soci- cultural authorities). Just how far the power of both publics and their traditional
ety and the family. But in a heavily mediated world, one cannot analyse the rela- authorities has in fact been 'annexed' by the media is as yet unresolved. But it
tionship between politics and the health, or society and the family, without also makes a fascinating agenda for the chapters that follow.
recognizing the importance of the media. A11 All these spheres and their intersections
JJ have become mediated-or mediatized.
NOTE
It seems that, for a growing body of European theorists, several of them rep-
lt
resented in this volume, 'mediation' is too broad a term, referring not only to the
1. An
l. An article-length devdopment of these ideas is published as Livingstone (2009), On the mediation
mediations-transport,
socially constitutive importance of media but also to other mediations-transport, everything,]ournal ofCommunication,
of everything,Journal of Communication, 59(1),
59(1),1-18.
1-18.
money, narrative, and, the paradigmatic case, language. On the one hand, the
claim that the media are now as powerful in shaping society as are these other
mediations is in itself exciting, challenging. On the other hand, we must not lose
distinctiveness of media institutions, of their forros
sight of the distinctiveness forms and devices, and
of the associated activities and practices by which they are becoming embedded
life-work, leisure, learning, culture, politics, health, and even
in every sphere of life--work,
intimate understanding
our intirnate understanding of ourselves. Mediatization
Mediatization retains this distinctiveness
distinctiveness
and also, usefully, encompasses the very multiplicity of today's media (including
and replacing separate discussions of print, radio, television, intemet,internet, etc.), rec-
ognizing changes in the media themselves, as new and diverse technologicaltechnological and
symbolic forros
forms emerge to complicate established theories of communication.
communication.
 lntroduction:
Introduction:
Med iatization'
'Med
I iatization AS Key
AS Key I

KNUT LUNDBY

'Mediatization' points to societal changes in contemporary high modern socie- 1

ties and the role of media and mediated communication in these transformations. I:
I
:
Processes of mediatization affect almost all areas of social and cultural life in late
modernity. 1
ALL -EMBRACING MEDIA

The day-to-day activities of individuals, families, networks, organizations, com-

panies, and institutions in high modern settings involve a repertoire of technical
media. Everyday life and the operations of society depend on mediated communi-
cation. Who could manage without a cell phone, e-mail, favourite social network-
ing site, or whatever means of communication one chooses to stay connected?
How could one relate, interpret, and act in one's small or big world without access
to news in suitable media? As the internet has become commonplace, literally a
World Wide Web, it's difficult to imagine information exchange, banking, or
travel planning without it. The emerging generations may not be able to imag-
ine life without mediated gaming, online or playing with their own console.
~ontemporary entertainment relies heavily on the media. Cultural industries, art-
Ists, and publics go 'mediated' more often than 'live.' People fill their leisure time
1sts,
 1 1
INTRODUCTION: MEDIATIZATION AS KEY \ 3
2 j KNUT LUNDBY

with images and sound from films, television series, radio, and recorded music. bring. Although criticized for a mechanistic
mechanistic or deterministic
deterministic view, medium theory
And still people read newspapers, magazines, and books. has more nuanced arguments about interactions
interactions between media and society rather
The media are everywhere, all-embracing.
all-embracing. High modern societies are media- than simple statements about media wholly shaping society (Meyrowitz (Meyrowitz 2(08).
2008).
, saturated societies. Lash argues that there are two modernities and that the second In the version of 'media ecology' theories, the focus is on media as environments
environments
post-modernity is one of generalised mediatization.
modernity or post-modernity mediatization. The second (Newton 2008). (See further discussions
discussions in the chapters by Norm Friesen and
modernity is one in which the media spread like a disease. The first modernity Theo Hug, and by Lynn Schofield Clark, in this volume.)
describes a process of rationalization.
rationalization. And the second modemity
modernity describes one of Out of the political conflicts and cultural resistance in Latin America in the
mediatization' (Lash 2005). The contemporary complex conditions could not be
mediatization' 1970s and 1980s,Jesús
1980s,Jesus Martin-Barbero
Martín-Barbero (1993) inscribed the popular mass media
communication. What would politics be without the
handled without mediated communication. in matrices of communication
communication and hegemony.
hegemony. He understood
understood the transforming
transforming
media? What would trade, finances, and commerce be without information and role of the mass media through the negotiations
negotiations they invited in a variety of cultural
communication technologies? How could companies manage without internal
communication contexts. He shifted focus from 'the media' to the processes of 'mediations.' This
of'mediations.'
mediated communication
communication in their intranets? The new media and communication
communication was a shift to the places and processes where the media are consumed and given
'offline' merges with social inter-
technologies are everywhere. Social interaction 'offiine' meaning. In In the Latin American context, he observed the mediations
mediations within pop-
communication are part of the
action online. Media environments and mediated communication ular social movements. In the articulations
articulations between communication
communication practices and
contemporary high modern
modem condition. social movements that go on in a plurality of cultural matrices (Martin-Barbero
(Martín-Barbero
This situation, sketched in an impressionistic
impressionistic way above, involves ongoing 1993, p. 187), the transforming
transforming mediations
mediations are to be found.
social and cultural changes. The media themselves are changing. This involves John B. Thompson
Thompson (1995) made a general argument about the media and
the technologies, the media organizations and their output, as well as media con- modernity. He focused on symbolic forms and their modes of production production and circu-
sumption. New media practices play back and (re)shape the technologies and the lation. This made him aware of the systematic cultural transformation
transformation that has fol-
social and cultural contexts where the media are embedded. The media institu- symbol-handling modem
lowed the symbol-handling modern media. He claims they beganbeganto change patterns
pattems
tions are themselves transformed. Other institutions in society, like politics, communication and interactiofi~ofound
of communication interactiort~ofound and irreversibleways.
irreversibleways. These changes
sports, or religion, also change as they include new forms of mediated commu- Thompson termed th{:. t~. ''mediazation
mediazation o~~ul~e: (Thomps~n 19:5, ~- 46)~thout
(Thomps~n 19:5,~.
nication. People's lives are shaped as they relate to their media environments and the 'ti,' but close to the p.r:ocesses
p,::ocessesoof_I)lédiatizatton
(I.J1tdiatlzattonas
as descnbed IIIthis
m this book.
include a variety of media in their daily practices. Roger Silverstone picked uphom
upfrom Martin-Barbero
Martín-Barbero and Thompson.
Thompson. Although
his British countryman had introduced 'mediazation,'
'mediazation,' Silverstone
Silverstone kept 'media-
tion' as the conceptual tool to grasp the transformations
transformations of society and culture.
GRASPING THE SITUATION He regards 'mediation' as a fundamentally
fundamentally dialectical notion, different from but
at the same time complementary
complementary to the concept of communication.
communication. Silverstone
Silverstone
contemporary media-saturated
How can we get to grips with the contemporary media-saturated situation as well pointed out that the concept of mediation requires sc~olars t~ address communi~. communi~.
all-embracing media? This is a challenge to scholars and
as the changes of the all-embracing cation processes 'as both institutionally
institutionally and technolOgicallydnven
technologically dnven and embedded
students as well as to citizens, institutions, and companies trying to navigate the 18'1):
(Silverstone 2005, p. 18<;):
media environment. Which concepts and approaches to use? Let us point out a
Mediation, result, requires
Mediation, as a result, requires us to understand
understand howhow processes
processes of communication
communication
few milestones.
change
change the social
social and
and cultural
cultural environments
environments that
that support
support them
them as well
well as the
the relation-
relation-
The Canadian 'medium theorists' made early attempts. Harold lnnis Innis argued ships
ships that participants, both
that participants, both individual
individual and
and institutional,
institucional, have
have to that
that environment
environment
communication media play
in the very early 1950s that the communication playaa major role in the and
and to each other. (Silverstone
each other. (Silverstone 2005,
2005, p. 189)
189)
modem societies (Heyer 2003). In the 1960s, his student, the vision-
shaping of modern
ary Marshall McLuhan, pointed to the 'implosion' driven by the electronic media Thus, while Silverstone
Silverstone applies the concept of mediation, this b~k argues that
following the 'explosion' of the print media. This transformed people, social rela- the changes and transformation
transformation he points to are better grasped WIth
with the concept
tions, and societies (McLuhan 1962; 1964). 'Medium theory' explores the influ- mediatization. 'Mediation'
of mediatization. 'Mediation' is too general a term, with a different connotation
connotation
ences of communication
communication technologies that go beyond the specific content they of conflict-resolution modcrn media.
conflict-resolution alongside processes and changes within the modern
 4 ! KNUT LUNDBY INTRODUCTION: 'MEDIATIZATION' AS KEY 5 !

'Mediatization' goes more specifically to the transformations in society and every-
day life that are shaped by the modern media and the processes of mediation, as
laid out by Silverstone.
Mediatization takes place within matrices of communication, culture, and
(Martin-Barbero). It shapes society and culture as well as the relation-
hegemony (Martín-Barbero).
ship that individual and institutional participants have to their environment and
to each other (Silverstone).
What Silverstone claims for 'mediation' is, in this book, valid for 'mediatiza-
modern
tion.' Processes of mediatization have roots in the technologies of the modero
These are major transformations of society, however, beyond the scope of media-
tization as defined in this book. A more specific definition of 'media' is applied
modern (mass and interactive) media of communication. Hence, we look
here, as modero
for social transformations and cultural changes that relate to the modern
modero commu-
nication media as cultural technologies and as social institutions. (See Theo Hug
and Norm Friesen's chapter for a further discussion.)
Friedrich Krotz follows this path, although he makes big claims: mediatiza-
tion is one of the meta-processes shaping modernity,
modemity, alongside individualization,
commercialization, and globalization. 'The specific relevance of mediatization '\\\\\. ..

media, as would also be claimed by media theorists. However, social processes lies in the fact that it is a meta-process that changes communication and so the ~ ~
also shape mediatization. With Silverstone again, 'Institutions and technologies core ofhuman
of human action', says Krotz (2008, p. 24). The mediatization meta-process, / !
as well as the meanings that are delivered by them are mediated in the social pro- then, 'in particular makes it clear that lifeworld-specific communication remains
cesses of reception and consumption' (Silverstone 2005, p. 189). 'Mediatization' the basis of communication and meaning in general' (Krotz 2008, p. 28).
is the key to these processes. However, there has to be an institutional perspective on mediatization as well.
Stig Hjarvard (2008b) takes this approach. This implies an analysis of the inter-
play between media and other social spheres or institutions. Hjarvard reviews the
HOW GENERAL OR SPECIFIC? scholarly literature on the topic and outlines the uses of'mediatization'
of 'mediatization' in media
studies or, to be more specific, in media sociology. He defines the mediatization
How encompassing are the processes of mediatization? Gianpietro Mazzoleni of society as
provides an answer in The International Encyclopedia of
International Encyclopedia Communication: 'From a
of Communication:
... the
the process
process whereby
whereby society
society to an increasing degreeis
increasing degree is submitted
submitted to,
to, or
or becomes
becomesdepen-
depen-
very general point of view, "mediatization of society" is a concept that indicates
dent
dent on,
on, the
the media
media and
and their
their logic.
logic. This
This process is characterized
process is characterizedby by a duality
duality in
in that
that the
the
the extension of the influence of the media (considered both as a cultural technol-
media
media have
have become integrated into
become integrated into the
the operations
operations ofof other
other social
socialinstitutions,
institutions, while
while they
they
ogy and as an organization) into all spheres of society and social life' (Mazzoleni also
also have
have acquired
acquired the
the status
status of social
social institutions in their
institutions in their own
own right. As a consequence,
right. As consequence,
2008c). For him, mediatization of society involves all spheres of society. social
social interaction---within
interaction-within the
the respective
respective institutions, between institutions,
institutions, between institutions, and
and in
in society
society
fruitful to apply such a general concept? lt
Is it fiuitful It may be, as a reminder of how at large-takes
large-takes place
place via
via the
the media.
media. (Hjarvard 2008b, p.
(Hjarvard 2008b, p. 113,
113, emphases
emphases in in original)
original)
involved late modero
modern societies have become with the media. However, a workable
analysis has to be more specific. Mazzoleni so indicates as he, on the one hand, (weak)form of
Hjarvard distinguishes between a direct (strong) and an indirect (weak)
points out the main processes of change behind the mediatization of society and, mediatization. In direct mediatization, formerly non-mediated activity converts to
on the other hand, discusses mediatization in society, that is, in the main domains a mediated form, for example, in online banking. Indirect
lndirect mediatization is when
or institutions where mediatization processes could be observed. the media and their symbolic world in terms of form, content, or organization
An even wider approach to mediatization is taken by Juergen Haberml.l.s.
Haberm~_s.HeHe existif1gactivity.
increasingly influence an existirig activity. The example is a burger chain where a
Theory of
tailors his general Theory of Communicative Action to the lifeworld concept of soci-
Communicative Action visit involves exposure to film characters and cartoon animations along with the
ety and to the differentiation of lifeworld structures. The socially integrated life- eating of a hamburger (Hjarvard 2004).
world where people experience pattems
patterns ofbelonging
of belonging is becoming more and more Besides involving themselves in other institutions, the media during medi-
rationalized. This is part of the modernization processes. The lifeworld is, at the atization appear more and more as an independent institution within society.
same time, both uncoupled from and made dependent upon the big systems in the This duality exactly characterizes mediatization. On the one hand, mediatization
economy and state administration. This dependency results from the mediatiza-mediatiza- 'intervenes in human interaction in many different contexts, while it also insti-
tion of the lifeworld by system imperatives, Habermas claims. This mediatization tutionalizes the media as an autonomous entity with its own logic,' Hjarvard
,media,' as, for example, money
depends on Habermas' very general definition of 'media,' (2008b, p. 116) notes. The ways in which mediatization affects and shapes society \
and power. Such 'media' may 'colonize' the lifeworld (Habermas 1987, n. 305). and social life is fundamentally a question of the media intervening into the social
u f r,,.1\¡1,,J 1 1.lJI\JIJlH
interaction between individuals within
within a given institution, between
between institutions,
and in society
society at large,
large, he explains (Hjarvard 2008b, p. 120).
This brings the phenomenon clown down to concrete processes that could be analy-
sed empirically. The amount of mediatized interactions at all levels brings about
changes or transformations of everyday life, institutions, and society of such scale
that big claims have to be made. Still, as Kirsten Drotner (2008, p. 71) remarks,
forms to understand
there is a need for middle-range explorations of actual media forros
media's both material and immaterial aspects in processes of mediatization.
The contributors to this book are all within the scope outlined above. They
symbolic or
aim to understand how and to what extent social interaction, with its symholic
cultural expressions, institutions, and societies, is shaped in processes of mediati-
zation with modern media. However, the authors emphasize different aspects.
MEDIATIZATION IN VARIOUS FIELDS OF ACTIVITY
So far, the discussion has been on the mediatization of society at large.
Specifications may be given in terms of the leve/
level of analysis, from micro interac-
tions to macro patterns of society, as indicated above. However, studies of media-
tization are also made in relation to specific fields of activity: these activities are
either routinized into institutions with strong structures or kept more fluid.
The first social scientific works on mediatization were in the field of politics.
politics.
How the media interfere and transform politics is a continued and visible part of
mediatization research. Mazzoleni summarizes the main effects of mediatization
on politics: first, their agenda-setting capacity; second, that the media in general
and television and the 'tabloid press' in particular make politics spectacular and
personalized. The third effect is the fragmentation of politics; the fourth, the selec-
tion of political elites through the imposition of media-driven mechanisms on the
2oo8b). The mediatization of politics may be
political communication (Mazzoleni 2008b).
a challenge for democracy (Mazzoleni and Schultz 1999). Different phases in the
increasing influence of mediatization in political communication can be identified
(Stromback and Nord 2008). Jesper Stromback and Frank Esser develop this in
their chapter here. The mediatization of politics is usually discussed on a theoret-
and Juri
ical oasis. From time to time, a 'reality check' is performed; Tom Moring andJuri
Mykkanen (2008), for example, show through long-term Finnish election data
that mediatization of politics is not necessarily a continuously expanding phenom-
enon. On various indicators, the degree of mediatization may vary. 'Mediatization
of politics may not be a one-way road, after all,' the Finnish researchers conclude.
Distinctions between aspects of mediatization are also made when ,."Stig Stig
Hjarvard (2008c) discusses mediatization of religion.
religion. With reference to Joshua
INTRODUCTION: 'MFDIATIZAHON' AS KEY \ 1
Meyrowitz, he looks at communication media as conduits, as languages, and as
environments. The metaphor of conduits draws attention to how the media trans-
port content or messages. In Western countries, religious issues are depicted by
mixes of institutionalized religion and other spiritual ele-
the media themselves in muces
ments, Hjarvard claims. Considering media as languages gives focus to the vari-
ety of media formats that frame the messages and the relations between sender,
content, and receiver. In Europe and America, it becomes visible that religion
in the media is extensively formatted according to the genres of popular culture.
When analyzed by the metaphor of media as environment, one observes the ways
media systems and institutions facilitate social interaction and communication.
From a long-term perspective, the printing press weakened the church's control
of religious texts and stimulated alternative thinking, thus stimulating processes
of individualization. Taken together, the media as conduits, languages, and envi-
ofindividualization.
they would do in other fields
ronments make up the mediatization of religion-as theywould
where the core elements of activity assume media form (Hjarvard 2008c).
Mediatization has been discussed by scholars in a wide range of fields
or institutional areas, or in general processes across fields or institutions. Such
studies and considerations include the growing media presence in identity con-
structions, especially among the young (Fornas 1995, p. 210); in gender rela-
tions (Meyrowitz 1985; Mazzoleni 2008c); the mediatization of consumption
O'ansson2002b);
Qansson O'ansson2oo2a);
2002b); the tourist experience O'ansson 2002a); the mediatization of play
(Hjarvard 2004; 2008a); of knowledge and learning (Ludes 2008, pp. 111-115);
and of language (Hjarvard 2007; 2008a). Philip Auslander (2008) discusses per-
formance in a mediatized culture. 'Media events,' the live broadcasting of history
described by Daniel Dayan and Elihu Katz (1992), could be understood as media-
tization (Mazzoleni 2008c). Simon Cottle (2006a) digs into mediatized conflicts,
McQ1Iail (2006) into writings on the mediatization of war. (See also
and Denis McOliail
the conclusion to this book.)
1
'MEDIA LOGIC
driv- )
Contemporary scholars of mediatization point to a certain 'media logic' as a driv-)
ing mechanism behind and within the processes of mediatization. When, in these
transformations, core elements of a social or cultural activity assume media form,
Hjarvard holds, 'the activity is, to a greater or lesser degree, performed through
interaction with a medium, and the symbolic content and the structure of the
social and cultural activity are influenced by media environments and a media
logic, upon which they gradually become more dependent' (Hjarvard 2008c, p. 13).
some extent subsumes other
Mediatization is the process of social change that to sorne
 • I , ., ~ _. , • •~ ! "l,. 1J 1
INTRODUCTION: 'MEDIATILATION' AS KEY i'

social or cultural fields into

social into the logic of the media, Hjarvard (2008c, p. 14) pro- NEW EYESON MEDIA INFLUENCE
poses. In an article explicating an institutional approach, Hjarvard explains that:
The concept of mediatization may help see 'old' questions in communicatio.l
communicatio_1
Mediatization is to be considered
Mediatization considered a double-sided process of
double-sided process ofhigh
high modernity which
modernity in which studies and media sociology in new and more striking and relevant ways. Th1 Thl
the media
the media onon the
the one
one hand
hand emerge
emerge as an independent
independent institution
institution with
with a logic
logic of its particularly applies to questions of media effect an~ influence. , ,
own that
own that other
other social
social institutions
institutions have
have to accommodate
accommodate to. to. On
On the
the other
other hand,
hand, media
media When the media were few, one could ask, for mstance, about the effects 01
simultaneously become
simultaneously become an integrated
integrated part
part of other
other institutions like politics,
institutions like politics, work,
work,
ocial life of the introduction of radio. With the all-embracing media, question
ociallife
family, and
family, and religion
religion as more
more and
and more
more of these
these institutional
institucional activities
accivities are
are performed
performed s d .
of the media's influence have to be posed in new ways. The media-saturate envi enn
through both
through both interactive
interactive and
and mass
mass media.
media. The
The logic
logic of the
the media
media refers
refers to the
the insti-
insti-
tucional and
tutional and technological
technological modus
modus operandi
operandi of the
the media,
media, including
including the waysin whích
the ways which
ronment calls for approaches other than thinking in terms of cause and effect
media
media distribute
distribute material and symbolic
material and resources and
symbolic resources and make
make use
use of formal
formal and
and infor-
infor- The concept of mediatization helps to grasp the influence of mediated commu
mal rules.
mal rules. (Hjarvard
(Hjarvard 2008b,
2008b, p. 105)
105) nication in contemporary late modem complex societies. 'Mediatization' offers :
(~cCo~bs, 2004).'
conceptual context for specific processes of agenda setting (~cCo~bs an<
2004).•anI
1
It's not just the media that operate according to their own 'logic.' Agents and
lt's of how news media influence and shape messages through frammg, that IS,b: 1s, b:
actors in other institutions accommodate it as well. If lf political actors begin to selecting some
sorne aspects of a perceived reality and making them more salient in :
adapt to the notion of newsworthiness inherent in the logic of the media institu-
adapt communicating text (Entman 1993; Pan 2008). '
tions, they wi1l
will come to adopt
adopt the same media logic and standards of newsworthi- A distinction has to be made between media influence, as outlined above, an<
ness (Stromback and Nord 2008, pp. 103-104). power structures. Mediatization is not an even process, affecting and involvinl involvin¡
:M,Qi~.JQ~'.
'M,diLlo~,:', then, plays an important role in the understandings
understandings of a1l
all actors in the same manner or to the same extent. Sorne Some actors or agents hav.
hav,
'the processes that shape the nature of the changes brought by mediatization,' more power than others, in Max Weber'sWeber' s sense of 'the probability that one acto
Mazzoleni (2008c) holds. He regards media logic as the combination of a com- within a social relationship will be in a position to carry out his own will wil1despitc
despite
merciallogic,
mercial logic, a technological logic, and a cultural logic. He does not explain the resistance..
resistance .. .' (Weber 1978, p. 53). Although power in the media field is mon
latter. He mainly finds the logics of the mediatization processes in the commer- about symbolic power (Bourdieu 1991; Couldry 2000), media producers and user:
cial and technological aspects. The commercial logic involves the commercial- constructior
have different capabilities and positions to taking part in the media's constructioI
ization of both the media institutions and society as a whole, followed by the of reality (Couldry 2000, p. 4). Among the variety of producers and consumers i
industrial logic of the media or cultural industries. The technological logic refers there is further differentiation: there is an 'uneven landscape of power in which thc the
to how the applied technologies shape content in production and reproduction landscapc
media process is founded' (Couldry 2003, p. 19). Hence, it is an uneven landscape
processes (Mazzoleni 2008c). of power in which the mediatization processes take place. Different actors (~eople(~eoph
The term 'media logic' was introduced by David Altheide and Robert Snow as well as organizations, companies, and institutions), have unequ~ power .to _tomter-
mter·
I / (1979?.
(1979? !hey
~hey fo~us on media _form~ts.
.form~ts.._T~e
T~e characteristics of format are :how fere in the mediatization processes. Mediatization also splits and dlfferennates.
d1fferentiates.
I¡ material
matenalls1s organ1zed,
organIzed, the style m which 1t It 1s
ISpresented,
presented, the focus or emphas1s
emphaSISon
on 'Mediatization' gives media scholars a different agenda and a different se' se·
1I particular characteristics of behaviour, and the grammar of media communication' of priorities and guiding ideas about what to study and how to study it. It alsc als<
.1¡ (Altheide and Snow 1991, p. 9). The underlying idea, Mazzoleni explains (2008a), shoulc
addresses a key role for the media in larger processes of social change. This shoul<
is 'that of a dominant form, a representation of reality, and content definitions to also be of interest to other scholars anrl
ofinterest an<lstudents in the social sciences and human-
human·
which media producers conforrr..'
conform.' By identifying
identifYing these 'formats,' Mazzoleni main- ities. So, what are the changes following mediatization?
tains, it is possible to better understand what lies behind the processes of media
production. These production processes are complex. They usually imply certain
standardizations and specifications in order to keep a profile, adapt to audiences, CHANGES AND TRANSFORMATIONS
and maintain efficiency. 'The term "media logic" captures the whole of such pro-
cesses that eventually shape and frame media content' (Mazzoleni 2008a). A historical perspective on mediatization sets contemporary society in contr~sl
contr~s1
The 'media logic' of mediatization processes is further explicated-and and helps us to understand the specific role of new media as cultural technologlel
technolog1ei
questioned-in Knut Lundby's chapter in this book. in the transforming processes.
 1O I KNU I LUNIJl3Y
IN IROIJUl. l lUI\I; IVILLJl/1111.1\ 11u1~ 11:, '"· r ¡ 1 ,

Mediatization
Mediatization follows modernity.
modernity. Friedrich
Friedrich Krotz lays out the big picture or new media substitute
substitute traditional
traditional forms of communication;
communication; third, in the amal-
when he characterizes
characterizes mediatization
mediatization as one of the meta-processes
meta-processes behind moder- gamation where boundaries
gamation boundaries between mediated
mediated and non-mediated
non-mediated activities
activities are
individualization, commercialization,
nity, together with individualization, commercialization, and globalization
globalization (Krotz dissolved;
dissolved; and finally, accommodation-the
accommodation-the changes induced by the mere fact that
~007, 20?8). This could be observed
observed from a long-term,
long-term, general historical
historical perspec- communication
communication media exist, and so people and institutions
institutions have to adapt to them.
t1ve and m a shorter, more recent span of history, where the mediatization
mediatization pro- Schulz regards these four processes
processes of change as components
components of a complex process
cesses are more complex,
complex, encompassing.
encompassing. In Western societies,
societies, the former takes us of transition.
transition. 'As the concept emphasizes
emphasizes interaction
interaction and transaction
transaction processes
processes in
back to around 1450, while the latter could be observed some 500
observed sorne 500 years later, well a dynamic perspective, mediatization goes beyond ~~ simple causal logic dividing
perspective, mediatization
after 1950. the world into dependent
dependent and independent
independent variables.
variables. Thus, mediatization
mediatization as a
John B. Thompson,
Thompson, in The Media and Modernity, Modernity, takes the origins of media- concept both transcends
transcends and includes media effects' (Schulz 2004, p. 90).
'~e~iazation of culture,' in his wording)
tizat~on (or •~e~iazation wording) back to Gutenberg
Gutenberg and the Mediatization involves processes
Mediatization processes of social changes.
changes. These changes may have
media orgamzat1ons
orgamzatlOns that were established
established from the second half of the fifteenth character of transformations,
the character transformations, as the changes incurred by the media may change
following his invention
century following (Thompson 1995, p. 46). In
invention of the printing press (Thompson direction, the form, or character
the direction, character of the actual social or cultural activities.
activities. As
her study of The Printing as an Agent of
Printing Press asan of Change,
Change, Elizabeth
Elizabeth Eisenstein
Eisenstein (1979) concludes, 'The concept of mediatization
Schulz concludes, mediatization has heuristic value if it precisely
precisely
describes a long-term
actually describes long-term story of mediatization.
mediatization. transforming society and if it stimulates
defines the role of mass media in a transforming stimulates an
~e rec~nt historical
historical period of mediatization
mediatization is the context of Hjarvard's
Hjarvard's transformation processes'
adequate analysis of the transformation processes' (Schulz 2004, p. 98).
analys1s. Th1s development
analys1s. development has accelerated
accelerated in the last decades of the twentieth
twentieth
cen.turyin
cen_tury modem, mostly Western or westernized,
in high modern, westernized, societies like Europe, the
State.s an~ Ca~ada: A~~tralia:
Un~t~d State_s A~~tralia: and Japan~with
Japan~with other countries
countries emerging.
emerging. LOST IN TRANSLATION?
This 1s1S~he.h1s~on~al
~he_h1s~on~al s1tuatlOn m wh1ch the media
s1tuat1on med1a at once have attained autonomy
autonomy
~
~ ª.a.SO~1al ~nst1~tlOn and are crucially interwoven
so~1al~nst1~t1on interwoven with the functioning
functioning of other Sonia Livingstone
Livingstone (2009) in her essay, 'On the mediation
mediation of everything,'
everything,' docu-
mst1tutlons (HJarvard
mst1tut1ons (HJarvard 2008b, p. 110, emphasis emphasis in original).
original). This is the recent mediation, mediazation,
ments how the meaning of terms like mediation, mediazation, medialization,
medialization, and
historical phase where there is a growing surplus of mediated
historical mediated information
information and mediatization may easily be lost in translation
mediatization translation as they appear from different lan-
ent~rtainment and a !ollowin?
ent~rtainment ~ollowin? deficit of attention.
attention. The media have to struggle for guage contexts.
contexts. This book chooses and focuses 'mediatization'
'mediatization' as the keyword.
keyword. It
~he1fshare
~heir attentlOn, and hence take various mediatizing
share o~ people s attent1on, mediatizing techniques
techniques necessary to argue for this in relation to uses in various language
is necessary language areas. This dis-
observed by the sociologist
mto use. This was observed sociologist Gudmund
Gudmund Hernes in 1977, with German- and English-speaking
cussion will be limited to the German- English-speaking countries
countries in Europe
reference
reference to Herbert Simon's and James Coleman's Coleman's notes on 'media rich' versus Northern Europe, with Scandinavia
and Northern Scandinavia asan
as an in-between
in-between case where linguistic
linguistic
situations (both in Greenberger
'media poor' societies and social situations Greenberger 1971). language use is closer to English.
roots are near German, but language
The year before, in 1976, Jean BaudrillardBaudrillard had introduced
introduced the concept of Germanic use of 'mediatization'
The old Germanic 'mediatization' was related to the early nineteenth
nineteenth
mediatiza~ion ('l'information
mediatiza~ion ('l'information médiatisée')
mediatisee') in L 'échange
'ichange symbolique
symbofique et lafa mort (p. 98). century, when the states of the former Roman Empire were 'mediatized' 'mediatized' by
Here he d1scusses
d1scussesmodesmodes of media presentation
presentation in relation to Walter BenjamínBenjamin on Napoleon.
Napoleon. Mediatization
Mediatization is, then, the subsumation
subsumation of one monarchy
monarchy into another
ph~to~aph! and film and Marshall McLuhan
ph~to~aph! television. In the English trans-
McLuhan on television. in such a way that the ruler of the annexed state keeps his title and maybe sorne some
lat1on
latlOn m th1s ch~pter on 'the order of simulacra'
th1Sch~pter simulacra' it reads that today's objects 'no power. Livingstone
Livingstone (2009) makes the link to present media empires or conglom- conglom-
longer has anythmg to do with yesterday's yesterday's objects, any more than "mediatized"
"mediatized" Hjarvard's definition
erates, and to Hjarvard's mediatization (cf. above). Today, 'the
definition of mediatization
information has with the "reality" of
information offacts' (Baudrillard 1993, p. 63).
facts' (Baudrillard media not only get between any and a11 all participants
participants in society but also, crucially,
crucially,
Winfried Schulz (2004) argues for the reconstruction
Winfried reconstruction of mediatization
mediatization asan
as an mediatizing-subordinating-the
annex a sizeable part of their power by mediatizing-subordinating-the previ-
analytical
analytical concept. He relates mediatization
mediatization to changes associated
associated with commu- ously powerful
powerful authorities
authorities of government,
government, education,
education, the church, the family, etc.'
development. Schulz points to four processes
nication media and their development. processes of social (Livingstone 2009).
(Livingstone
change where the media play a key role: first, in extension extension of the natural human Contemporary German-speaking
Contemporary German-speaking media scholars distinguish distinguish between
communication
communication capacities;
capacities; second, in partial or complete substitution of social
complete substitution 'Medialisierung'
'Medialisierung' and 'Mediatisierung.'
'Mediatisierung.' They may be used interchangeably,
interchangeably, but
interaction and social institutions
interaction institutions when non-media
non-media activities
activities assume medi~ form ,, usually there is a significant difference in whether there is an '1'
significant difference '1' or a 't' in the word.
 INTRODUC flON: 'MLDIATI? ATION' AS KfY ( 1 j

Krotz (2007) explains that 'Mcdialisicrung'

(200l) cxplains 'Medialisierung' focuses
focuscs the
thc status of society as a media distinctive to (i.e., to "mediatize")
"mcdiatize") particular processes, objects, and fields' (Couldry
society and its consequences (c.g.,
(e.g., Imhof 2006), while 'Mediatisierung' observes 20086, p. 376). He finds this fruitful as long as this claim is specific and directed
2008b,
the ongoing processes of change with focus on the processes. 'Mediatisierung' towards forms
forms or formats
formats suitable for media representation. .
describes the horizons of social change in relation to media
medía change. It points to Couldry's objection comes when larger societal
socictal and cultural transformatIons
transformat1ons
the
thc interdependence between the media and other societal subsystems; the devel- secn to operate from a sing!e
are seen single sour~e
source and ~nin a commo~
common d~rection,
direction, b!
by a c~her-
coher-
opment is open and the processes not yet finished. Krotz looks at the mediatizing ent 'media logic.' He charactenzes
characterizes thIS
this as a linear dynamIC;
dynamic; 'anan essentIally linear
essentially
potential of digitalization and digital media in particular. They lead to an even transformation from "pre-media" (before the intervention of specific media) to
transformation
more complex media environment and further differentiation of communication "mediatized" social states.' Couldry then rather turns to Silverstone's concept of
and mediatization processes. Whether digitalization radically changes the phe- heterogeneity of the transformations
mediation, which he finds 'emphasize[s] the heterogeneity
nomenon of mediatization is discussed in Lundby's chapter on media logic. to which
whích media givegíve rise across a complex and divided social space rather than a
Following the Norwegian Gudmund Hernes' early observations on the medi- single "media
"medía logic" that is simultaneously transforming the whole of social space spacc
atizing processes in the 'media twisted society' (cf. above), the Swedish media at once' (Couldry 2008b, p. 375).
scholar Kent Asp in 1986 introduced a concept of 'medialization' in a study of Couldry brings valid objections to a simplified application of an overall 'media
the power and influence of the media in political processes (Asp 1990). ]esper Jesper logic.' Such uses will be further questioned in Lundby's chapter. Al~h~ugh he
Stromback moves the terminology to 'mediatization' (Stromback and Nord 2008). aims at a kind of division of labour between the two concepts of mediatIon mediat1on and
Stig Hjarvard brings in a significant Danish contribution to the Scandinavian mediatization, Couldry's criticism appears one-sided in favour of 'mediation.' As
research with his recent publications on mediatization (Hjarvard 2004; 2oo8a; 2008a; noted, in this volume, the general understanding of'mediatization'
of 'mediatization' is fairly close
2008b; 2008c). to Silverstone's use of 'mediation,' which Couldry supports. He holds that the
In English, 'mediatization' has sounded a rather awkward term (Livingstone concept of mediation is best fit to grasp the social transformation in which the
2009). North American scholars have been writing on the phenomenon of medi-
atization without using that word. This is the case with the Canadian initiators of
(Innis, McLuhan) as well as the U.S. theorists of 'media logic'
Medium Theory (lnnis,
media are involved. However, the authors in this book argue that such changes
should rather be analyzed as 'mediatization.'
'Mediation' isís here a broader and more general concept applied to acts and
¡I
(Altheide and Snow), to mention a few significant contributors. In Britain, John processes of communication with technical media. 'M:diatio~L0':I1-!..~~lJl~~~ose
•~edi_~!ion,' th~n! com~~~ <:lose
B. Thompson (1995) tried 'mediazation of culture,' and Simon Cottle has looked to the German 'Vermittlung.' Mediation in this sense-may, as Hjarvard Hja.rvard (2008b,
(2008b,"''"
for 'mediatized' phenomena (Cottle 2006a; 2oo6b).
20066). However, British scholars p. 114) notes, affects both the message and the re1ationshi~
relationshi~ be~e.en sender:m~
sender :indA
\
have preferred the term 'mediation' to denote the same kind of transforming pro- receiver. However,
Howe::.:r, it will not, in the long terrn,tr~?~f~x:~!~~,~t~.?E,~~l'~CtlCl!S
not.!..~~-:1!:,,~?r:i:i?;.term,
transform mst1tut10~-~p~ct1c1s
cesses that this book discusses as 'mediatization.' Roger Silverstone's
Sílverstone's argument \ or modes of sociaIsocial interacti_~~~_,7'
íntera<:!i?~!l:..
__/
for 'mediation' is noted above (Silverstone 1999; 2002; 2005; 2007). Several of his
ofhis .o~7-1io~ver,
'Meaíatíiaiíóñ:;1·--fíówever, may
rnay incorporate the concept and processes of
colleagues have followed suit, sticking to 'mediation' as the key term for tensions remediation Re~~.~~~}~ _1:herepresentation of one.
remediation (Bolter and Grusin 1998). R~~.~j_<>.~1~~~~r~eresentat~0~.0(9n_e,
and transformations (e.g., Chouliaraki 2006; Couldry 2008b; Thumim 2008). medium in another. Bolter and Grusin see thIS as a defimng
seethis defining charactenstlC
characteristic of the
mw Oig~di.~:=Through
ñewaig¡fiíl;;~J¡~:=Through the same binary code in digital media (Bratteteig
2008), there is an expansio.n i~~~~ ~Kress2003,
expansio_ni~~u!..~ ~Kress2003, p. 5), playing out text,
MEDIATIZATION, MEDIATION, ANO REMEDIATION images, sounds, and graphics m new combmations
combmat1ons (Kress and van Leeuwen 2001,
p. 2). Multimodality may foster changes in practices that are part of mediatization
rnediatization
Nick Couldry makes an explicit discussion of 'mediation' in relation to 'media- processes. In multi modal practices, semiotic transformations take place (Kress
multirnodal
tization,' applied to the study of digital storytelling and its democratic potential
potcntial 2003). In In mediatization processes, semiotic transformations occur along narrative
2oo8a; 2008b).
(Couldry 2008a; 200gb). He acknowledges that mediatization, as developed by and institutional transformations (Lundby 2008).
Hjarvard, aims to understand a wider transformation of social
Schulz, Krotz, and Hja.rvard, Jameson, following in the footsteps of Jean Baudrillard, sees the post-
Fredric Jameson,
and cultural life. He regards this 'a useful attempt to concentrate our focus on a modern condition as an expression of'mediatization.' He describes the spatializa-
asan
particular transformative logic or mechanism that is understood to do something tion of post-modern
post-modero culture as 'the process whereby the traditional fine arts are
 INTRODUCTION: 'MEDIA TIZATION' AS KEY

i + iéN\il UJ";IJh1

. .." " f h em selves

selves as various
various media
media The 'changes' under
The 'changes' this second
under this second section are on different
section are different levels
levels and
and with difl
with difl
mtditltizcd: . hh •onsnous1·•·s,, 0 tt em
. rt· · ·onSClOUSI·'·S<,O .•
m,dit1tizcd: that IS, 1s, t ey now <.:OI11C
come ()O (;,e · · · al
'.·. ~. duction also const1tutes
duction also constItutes ent time
ent time perspectives.
perspectives. With
With the
the outset
outset in a historical
historical view
view on the
the transformatic
transformatic
. . . h'
h. ·h ti own mte1n
tl 1eir own lIitel'O pro . .
within a medJatic
within rnedianc system system m rn wW K} 1e .". . . the status
status of thethe medIUm
med1um m Stewart M.
Stewart M. Hoover
Hoover deals
deals with
with contemporary
contemporary complexities
complexities of mediatization.
mediatization. 1
,. ,. ,. .1 d h . king
'd king of a pos100t,posl00t' on .
,nnbo!1l' 111e~~age
J ,nnbolll'
.i
·. ,. ..'. . .· .
nle~'J.ge .1n
.'
..
º •
991
t e t.}
t,l
162 emphas1s
162 emphasIs m ongm
..'
. . • .· al) Bolter
ongm ·.
and Grusm
Bolter and Grusm (1998(1998
,' changing
changing religious cultures is his
religious cultures his case,
case, pointing
pointing specifically
specifically to transformations
transformations
1 991
que,t1rntJlI 1J,unc,,,u 1
questJ 1 !J,III1l·,'>1I , p. ..'. '. .
'P· ditional fine
f ditional art a process
fine arta process of remedi-
remedi- authority.
authority. Andreas
Andreas Hepp
Hepp analyses
analyses three
three other 01acro processes
other macro processes that create diff
that create difl
56) ._-,m~idcr
56) J.uncson's medlatlzatlOn
('()Ibidcr Jameson's med1at1zat10n0 o tra . . .
p. ...'. · H' holds the
d holds the post-modern
post-modern concept concept of mediatizatlOn-
med1at1zat1on- entiation in the relationship
entiation relationship between mediatization and
between mediatization and cultural
cultural change.
change. These
These
ation. f-lowcver,
ation. ,However, as Jarvar, Jªrvar ' . .,. . h
•an
'all
espec1 y as aiaI ou
especl
1 ·d t by
l'd byJean Baudrillard (1994)-IS
Jean Baudrillard (1994)-is too too grand,
.
..'
grand, as 1t
.
proclaims t e
It proclaims
.
individualization as a social
individualization social dimension,
dimension, deterritorialization
deterritorialization as a spatial
spatial dimensic
dimensic
disappearance of reality.
disappearance reality. It It is also
also tootoo simple,
simple, as me~Iated me~1ated re~ty
re~ty replac~s
replac~s expen-
expen- and the
and the coming
coming ofofintermediacy temporal dimension.
intermediacy as a temporal dimension. Stig
Stig Hjarvard
Hjarvard follows
follows
ential reality.
ential reality. Rather,
Rather, mediatization
mediatization should should be conceIved expamion of the
conce1ved of as an expamton the aspects of individualization,
on aspects individualization, namely,
namely, how
how social
social character
character has
has been
been influem
influenc
opportunities
opportunities for interaction in virtual
for interaction virtual spaces and a diJJ.eren~~tion
spaces and difJ_eren~~tion of what
what people
people by mediatization.
mediatization. This
This chapter
chapter revisits David Riesman's
revisits David classic, The
Riesman's classic, The Lonely era-
Lonely CrO'
perceive to be real'
perceive real' (Hjarvard
(Hjarvard 2008b,
2008b, p. 111,
111, emphases
emphases In
m ongmal).
ongmal). (1950). Synne
(1950). Synne Skjulstad
Skjulstad brings
brings the
the analysis
analysis of change
change into digital texts
into digital texts on the We
Wc
She
She is concerned with textual
concerned with textual shaping symbolic and
shaping of symbolic and cultural
cultural expressions
expressions onli
onli
via
via a variety
variety of semiotic
semiotic modes.
modes. Fashion
Fashion online
online provides
provides the
the cases
cases for
for this
this chapte
chapte
THE AIM AND CONTENT OF TH!S BOOK In the
In the section
section on 'consequences,' Jesper Stromback
'consequences,' Jesper Stromback andand Frank
Frank Esser
Esser obser
obser
and
and analyse
analyse how
how mediatization
mediatization shapes
shapes politics.
politics. Maren Hartmann relates
Maren Hartmann relates studi
studi
This book
This puts the
book puts the existing
existing body
body of literature
literature on 'mediatization'
'mediatization' under under critica!
critical of domestication
domestication to research
research on mediatization
mediatization and brings this
and brings this into the arenas
into the arenas
examination.
examination. The above introduction
The above introduction has focused the main,
has focused recent contributions
main, recent contributions the everyday.
everyday. Andre
André Jansson explores textures
Jansson explores textures andand stratification
stratification in mediatizatic
mediatizati<
scholarly debate
to the scholarly debate on mediatization.
mediatization. The The following
following contributions
contributions aim aim to taketake processes when
processes when people
people are
are mobile
mobile butbut still
still develop
develop patterns
patterns of social
social belongin
belongin
the debate
debate on mediatization
mediatization in media media and and communication
communication studies
studies to a critica!
critical T anja
aoja Thomas
Thomas looks into the
looks into the social
social inequalities
inequalities that
that are produced
produced andand reproduce
reproduce
edge;
edge; to make contribution in ongoing
make a contribution discussions in the field
ongoing discussions field in academic
academic c?n- c?n- through mediatized
through individualism. Finally,
mediatized individualism. Finally, Eric
Eric Rothenbuhler
Rothenbuhler roundsrounds it off wi1wil
stituencies
stituencies across
across North
North America
America and and Europe
Europe and and throughout
throughout the world. world. It a1ms alms an essay
essay on continuities.
continuities. He considers
considers the centrality
centrality of communicative
communicative form form ;
theoretical depth.
at theoretical depth. It intends
intends theoretical
theoretical dialogue
dialogue across
across traditions.
traditions. It covers
covers well
well as the constraints
constraints of institutionalization.
institutionalization. His
His communication
communication approach
approach 11
empirically
empirically a range range of social
social and
and cultural
cultural fields
fields and_
and. acti~ties
acti~ties whe~e
whe~e the_
the. cha~ges
cha~ges mediatization brings
mediatization brings sorne
some fresh
fresh observations
observations for further scholarly explorations.
further scholarly explorations.
of mediatization
mediatization come come to the fore. fore. The
The approach
approach 1s IS mamly
mamly media media soc1ological,
socIOlogical, course, these
Of course, these authors
authors do notnot keep
keep oneone strict
strict definition
definition of mediatizatiol
mediatizatio1
although it also
although also relates
relates to other
other scholarly
scholarly communities
communities of discourse.
discourse. ... . . The whole
The whole idea
idea of this
this book
book is to offer
offer a prism
prism of perspectives
perspectives on the the mediatiu
mediatiu
The
The bookbook has three sections.
has three sections. The The first
first looks
looks at the concept of medlatlzatIOn,
the concept med1at1zat1on, tion processes.
tion processes.
and the
and the second
second at major changes in society
major changes society and and culture
culture where
where mediatization
mediatization pro- pro-
cesses are involved. Toe last part addresses comequences mediatization
cesses are involved. The last part addresses comequences of mediatization in dif-
dif-
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 cHAPTER
CHAPTER ONE
ONE

Mediatization: A Concept
Mediatization: A Concept
With Which ro
With Which TO Grasp
Grasp Media
Media
AND Societal
ANO Societal Change
Change
FRIEDRICH KROTZ

INTRODUCTION:
INTRODUCTION: WHY
WHY DO
DO WE
WE NEED
NEED A

CONCEPT
CONCEPT LIKE
LIKE MEDIATIZATION7
MEDIATIZATION?

If today we read empirical

empirical studies or theoretical
theoretical concepts about children grow-
ing up that were written thirty years ago, we see that media already played a
role in those texts, albeit a less important
important one than today. Three decades ago,
there were no mobile phones to constantly accompany nearly ali
constantly accompany all adolescents,
adolescents,
whatever
whatever they were doing, with the phones being almost a part of their person-
alities. The internet didn't exist as a mass medium.
medium. Computer
Computer games could not
Nevertheless, growing up
be played at home and were much simpler than today. Nevertheless,
already involved
involved media: music and cinema played an importantimportant role in develop-
ing identity and lifestyle, and parents and children fought about bow much and
which TV the children were allowed to watch. In general, academic academic researchers,
researchers,
educators,
educators, and teachers identified
identified four distinct institutions
institutions relevant for growing
up: family, peer group, school respectively
respectively work, and the media. Each had to be
seen as a separate institution
institution with its own influence
influence on the socialization
socialization of chil-
dren and young people.
Today, this is no longer true. Of course, family, peer group, school, and
institutions of main importance
the media are still the institutions importance for socialization
socialization processes.
processes.
 ✓.✓• ¡ 1 l<lt:LJl<ILI I IO<U 1/. MLDIATIZATION: A CONCl:PT WITH WHICH TO CRASP MEDIA AND
SOCIETAL CHANCE 1 2J

/I But evidently, the media have changed

But evidently, changed their role, as today none of of the the other
other THE CONCEPT
THE coNCEPT AND SOME
AND SOME UNDERL
UNDERL VING
YING ASSUMPTIONS
ASSUMPTIONS
(( ·. institutio
institutionsns can be understo
understoodod without
without taking the media into account. account. No No
one
one nowada
nowadays ys would describe peer group relationsrelations,, peer group structure,
structure, and and similar to Thompson
Thompson (1995),
1f one, similar (1995), aims to develop
develop .a social and cultural
cultural the-
peer
peer group
group commun ication without referring to the media as a topic and
communication and as as aa lone, . .. the-..
ory of
ory of the
the media,
media, the starting
starting point must be commum commUnICatlo~ o~ commUnIcat1ve
cat10~ commumcative
means of
means of communication.
communication. The same is true with the family, which today can- can- .• This
This is because the complexcomplex forms of human commum commUniCatiOnmust be seenseen
not be seen independent of media. Instead, at least in the Western
not be seen as independent
act1on.
actiOn. . .• cat1onC
C
must'"be
Western world world pe ific
cific ability
ability and a specific necess1
necessity tyfor human be1Ogs.
bemgs. ommUnIcat1onIS
ommum
º
cation
º
1s
º

and increasingly
and increasingly in Asian
Asían and other societies,
societies, the media playa as. Pec
as as
as ...
. . .
play a crucial role role inin even their.r core
core activity
activity, and no human practice
practIces s can be conSIderedW1t~oUt
cons1de red without taking t aking
how even thel •
how aa family
family works, in how relations
relations are maintained
maintained and developed,
developed, and and in in into account
into account the complex
complex forms of communication
communication that humans
.
humans need 10order m order to to
how
how everyda
everydayy life is organized.
organized. In addition,
addition, school was developed
developed to to teach
teach the the live together,
together, to think, and to develop
live develop their individuality.
individuality. Huma~
Huma~ b~ings ev~n ev~n can can
use
use and
and producti
productionon of print media and thus always was a media-relatedmedia-related insti- insti- be defined
defined as those beings who have complex
be complex forms of communIcatIOn-thIS,
commumcat1on-th1s, for for
tution.
tution. Today, in the age of so-calle
so-calledd 'digital divides,
divides,'' even schools, whichwhich tra- tra- example, is the basis of the idea ofJuergen
example, of J uergen Haberm
Habermas (19 87) to develop
as (1987) develop aa critical
critical
ditionall
ditionallyy focused on print media, cannot afford to neglect electron electronic media.
ic media. sociologythat is rooted first and foremos
sociologythat foremostt in the theory of commun communicative action.
icative action.
This is because it is importa
This importantnt for children to be familiar with all all forms
forms of of Although we will will deal later with the question
Although question of how to understaunderstand commu-
nd commu-
media if they want to improve
media improve their life chances within society as as aa whole
whole and and nication, we first concentrate
concentrate on media and mediatization.
nication, mediatization. If we we start
start with
with com- com- \. \.
the economy
the economy in particular.
particular. In addition,
addition, schools increasingly
increasingly insist thatthat children
children munication, medial
media1 in a general sense is something 22/
munication, something that modifies
modifies communication.
communication. /
and young
and young people have access to and are able to use electronic electronic media
media in in their
their If we
we confine
confine ourselves
ourselves to what is usually understood
If understood to be a medium medium (e.g., (e.g., radio,
radio,
schoolw ork. Finally, media themselves
schoolwork. themselves refer much more to to other
other media
media than than televisio n, print
television, internet), we can say it in a more
media, and the internet), more precise
precise way: way:
they
they diddid three decades ago, as they all competecompete on the internet
internet and as
and as theythey all mediaworkwork atat the
the same
same time
time onfour
all media onfaur different
dijferent levels:
levels:as
as a technology,
technology,as a societal
as a societalinsti- insti-
converg
converge. e. tution, asas an
an organizational
organizational machine
machineand
tution, and a way of setting
way of setting content
content in in aa scene,
scene,and and as as aa
To
To sumsum up, families
families,, peer groups, and schools as institutio
institutions are still
ns are still the
the spaceofexperien
spaceof experienceceofof a recipien
recipient.t.
most important
most important actors for the socialization
socialization of children and young people people today. today. Now, in the long history since the invention
Now, invention of communication
communication and and media,
media,
Nevertheless, none of them can be understood
Nevertheless, understood without taking into into account
account the the more and more media have been
more and more invented, and more and more media have
invented, have been been
role that the media plays. In other words, we should speak of
role new mediatized
of new mediatized used by people to make communication
used communication more convenient,convenient, to make make communica-
communica-
forms
forms of socialization
socialization and of growing
growing up in or into a mediatized
mediatized society.
society. We We tion independent
independent of the actual face-to-face
tion face-to-face situation,
situation, to store information,
information, and and
should
should speak of the mediatized
mediatized institutions
institutions 'farnily'
'family' and 'school,' mediatized
mediatized social social so on.on. Harold Innis (1950, (1950, 1951)
1951) was one of the first academics
so academics who who described
described
relations
relations,, mediatiz
mediatizeded peer groups,
groups, and even mediatized
mediatized media.
media. the above and analyzed
the analyzed under which conditions conditions media spread in in societies
societies with with
Now
Now what, then, is meant exactly by 'mediati 'mediatized' 'mediatization'?
zed' and by 'mediati zation'? It It specificneeds, what effects that spread has had, and so on. Here, of
specific of course,
course, many many
is the
is the aim of this chapter to define and explain these concept conceptss and to to show
show how how questions are still open.
questions
grasping social and cultural changes with
they are helpful in grasping with referenc
referencee to to media
media In consequence,
In consequence, it makes sense to speak, on the one hand, of of face-to-f
face-to-face ace
and commun ication.
and communication. To do so, in the next section we discuss the the concept
concept and and commun
communication ication and, on the other, of mediated
mediated communication.
communication. Being Being mediated
mediated
sorne of
some of its underlying
underlying assumptions.
assumptions. In the third section, we will go into
go into details details thus is is an attribute
attribute that may refer to communication.
thus communication. Of course, mediated mediated com- com-
by defming
by defining an adequate
adequate understanding
understanding of communication
communication and media using using some sorne munication already comes into existence
munication existence with the human ability to to communicate.
communicate.
of
of George Herbert Mead's ideas. This will help to make clear clear how
how the con-
the con- This is is because
because communication
communication happens
This happens by the 'lse •1seof signs and symbols,
symbols, and and peo- peo-
cept
cept of of 'mediati zation' may be helpful when collecting
'mediatization' collecting and classifYingempirical
classifying empírica! ple cancan use material
material things to express
express signs and symbols.
ple symbols. The use of these
of these mate- mate-
research
research about media and comrnun ication change. This we present
communication present inin the
the fourth
fourth rialized signs
signs and symbols
symbols then is a form of mediated
rialized mediated communication.
communication. People People do do
section.
section. The fifth section relates the concept of of'mediatization'
'mediatization' to the the theoretic
theoretical so in
in order to produce
produce messages
messages that last longer than just a gesture
al so gesture or a sound.
or a sound. But But
approac
approaches hes of Juergen Haberm
Habermas,as, Pierre Bourdie
Bourdieu, u, and Norbert Elias Elias so so as as to
to then media
media do not serve only to mediate commun
then communication;
ication; they can also be be used
used to to
show how
show how fruitful it may be. Finally, we give some sorne further hints about possible
about possible control commun ication, construct social relations,
control communication, to construct relations, to earn money, and and so so on.on. In In
theoretical connections.
theoretical connections. ,. other words, here we find the social and cultural dimensions
other dimensions of media and
of media and media media
,, . · ~ / l "11 l ,I !\ 1'--.1 l i\. !~ \) 1 /
','I .1;:/\II\TIII\TION"
fl/ /\TION: 1\ CONCLP r WITH
/\ CONCl.:PT WITH WHICH ro GRASP
WHICH TO Cf<ASP MEDIA
M[DIA AND
AND SOCI!;TAL
SOCILTAL CHANGL
(HAN(;( I1 2~
:,,~
lfilD . "

use-and they
usc-and thcy exist not by media but because
because of communication
communication as an active pro- . be different
different at the same time. Second,
Second, mediatization
mediatization as a meta-process meta-process
rh,11 may
rh,\t .· .· .· d'
d .. 'dd al"
al. . d
cess of the people
people using media.
media. ld be understood
understood as a concept
concept similar to globalizatlOn,
globahzat1on, in IV!
III lVI U u IzatlOn,an
1zat10n, an
shou
,holl Id .
· d'
d · .,
· · 1 h' h
Now, human beings
Now, beings construct
construct their social and cultural reality by commu-commu- ·_ ercia .· lization
r1zation. Each of these meta-processes
meta-processes ISan
1s an or enng prlllClp pnnc1p e, w lC
h
lC
commerCla
0111111 . .
nicative action,
nicative action, as has been described
described by George
George Herbert
Herbert Mead (1967),
(196 7), Alfred L to
t think of specific
specific events and developments
developments as belongmgbelongmg together,toget er, as
helps us o . . h ffi
Schuetz (1971),
Schuetz (1971), Peter Berger
Berger and Thomas
Thomas Luckmann
Luckmann (1980), Juergen Habermas
(1980),Juergen Habermas
~~s~ . takes place in specific soc1ety and t hen afliects many
specific fields of culture and soCIetyand
C'l'-hh one
eac
· fi 1d
ld E ach of these concepts
Each
d thh quest10n
concepts in this sense is a model, an t e questlOn
.'. 1S .
1s
(1987a), and others.
(1987a), others. But then, insofar as media are used for that purpose, purpose, this 0 ther fiIe
other 1e s.5· .. .. ..
occurs by mediated
occurs communication. Thus we can assume that, throughout
mediated communication. throughout the th er such a model is true but whether It
h ether 1t makes sense, and whether whether It 1t IS1s
wh
not we. . d d
fu1to
ful to put individual
individual phenomena
phenomena into a common
common re1atlOnand
relat1on and order an and un er
history ofhumankind,
history of humankind, media media have become
become increasingly
increasingly relevant
relevant for the social con- he11P
hep · .· 1l d"
d . . d'
d.
struction reality as people in their communicative
struction of reality communicative actions refer more and more a common
common concept,
concept, even if they happen in m dIfferent
d1fferent cu tures an SOCIetIes soc1et1esaan n 10 m
to the media and use them. We, in consequence,
consequence, should understand
understand the social different times.
different . ._ .,. _
and cultural
cultural reality,
reality, and thus each individual
individual social and cultural
cultural phenomenon,
phenomenon, as Of course, this definition
definition is based on some
sorne underlytng
underlymg assumpttons
assumptwns that gIve
g1ve It 1t
depending on the media. This is what we refer to as mediatized.
also depending mediatized. We do not lace in communication
a place communication and cultural studies. The concept
concept of mediatization
me~iatization_ also
~so
ap relations . db' 1 l' .
mediated, as this is quite different
call it mediated, different from what happens
happens with communication
communication has relations to other theories
theories and concepts
concepts commonly
commonly use y SOC10
used by ogy, po
sooology, 10CS,
poht1cs,
as it becomes mediated. This is because
becomes mediated. because it may be much more complicated
complicated to find psychology
psychology and other disciplines.
disciplines. Some
Sorne of these assumptions
assumptions and relations will
out what a mediatized phenomenon or field is than just to state that it is in
mediatized social phenomenon now be outlined.
outlined.
relation with media. Mediatization
relation should be defined33 as a historical,
Mediatization thus should historical, ongo-
1.
l. We defined mediatization
mediatization as a meta-process
meta-process that is grounded
grounded in the mod-
long-term process
ing, long-term process in which
which more and more media emerge and are institu-
ification of communication
communication as the basicpractice
basicpractice of how people construct
construct the social
tionalized. Mediatization
tionalized. describes the process
Mediatization describes process whereby
whereby communication
communication refers to
and cultural
cultural world. They do so by changing
changing communication
communication practices that use
media and uses media so that media in the long run increasingly
media increasingly become
become relevant
relevant
media and refer to media. Hence, mediatization
mediatization is not a technologically
technologically driven
for the social construction
construction of everyday
everyday life, society,
society, and culture as a whole. This is
concept,
concept, since it is not the media as a technology
technology that are causal, but the changes
changes
shown in Figure
shown Figure 1.
in how people communicate
communicate when constructing
constructing their inner and exterior
exterior realities
realities
More exactly,
exacdy, we speak of the meta-process efmediatization (Krotz 2003). By
meta-process oJmediatization
following: first, that mediatization
this we mean the following: mediatization must be understood
understood as a by referring
referring to media.
2. Nevertheless,
Nevertheless, the technological
technological evolution
evolution is also relevant
relevant for mediatiza-
mediatiza-
long-term process that has, in each historical
long-term historical phase, a specific
specific realization
realization in each
rion,
tion, especially
especially as technologies
technologies are not merely a neutral means
meaos but are produced,
produced,
single culture
culture and society.
society. Mediatization
Mediatization thus has specific
specific stages of development
development
modified,
modified, and developed
developed by industry
industry for capitalist
capitalist purposes.
purposes. Hence, domestication
domestication
theory,
theory, which may be seen as an interesting
interesting approach
approach to understanding
understanding how tech-
Mediatlzed forms
Mediatlzed forms of social
social and
and cultural
cultural life:
lite: nologies
nologies are introduced
introduced into households
households (Silverstone
(Silverstone and Haddon 1996; Roeser
The
The relevance
relevance of media for everyday
media for everyday lile,
life, work
work and leisure, for
and leisure, far social
social relations,
relations, 2008; Hartmann
Hartmann 2008), fits rather well to the mediatization
mediatization approach.
approach. Of course,
groups and identity,
groups and identity, enterprises and institutions,
enterprises and politics and
institutions, politics and economy,
economy,
there are further approaches
approaches that are rooted more in the sociology
sociology of technology,
technology,
socialization, culture
socialization, culture and society
and society
for example,
example, van Loon (2008).
Medlated
Mediated communlcatlon:
communication: 3. It is common
common knowledge
knowledge that there are somesorne discussions
discussions about whether
whether
Three
Three main
main forms,
forms, classified according to
classified according to whom
whom a person
person communicates:
communicates: 'mediation'
'mediation' or even 'medialization'
'medialization' would be better names than 'mediatization'
'mediatization' (for
mediated
mediated interpersonal
interpersonal communication, interactive communication,
communication, interactive communication,
communication
communication as production/reception
production/reception of standardized
standardized content
content
an overview
overview on terminology,
terminology, see Livingstone
Livingstone 2008) as well as whether
whether a media-
(mass communication)
(mass communication) tion concept
concept is more general or more specialized
specialized than a mediatization
mediatization concept
concept
(cf.
(cf. Couldry
Couldry 2008; Hjarvard
Hjarvard 2008; Livingstone
Livingstone 2008; Lundby 2008; Mazzo1eni
Mazzoleni
Communicatlon
Communication as the
the basic
basic human practice:
human practice:
Face-to-face,
Face-to-face, gestures and language
gestures and language
and Schulz 1999). Some
Sorne of these researchers with the concept
researchers argue with concept of media logic
that was introduced
introduced by Altheide
Altheide and Snow (1979).
We should not overemphasize
overemphasize these problems
problems but find a common
common language
language
Figure Face-to-face-communication,
Figure 1: Face-to-face-communication, mediated communication, and.
mediated communication, and the
the
mediatized
mediatized conditions and forms
conditions and life.
forms of life. for the analysis
analysis of an important
important development.
development. The terminological
terminological question
question should
 M[DIATIZATION:
M[DIATIZATION: A CONCEPT
CONCEPT WITH
WITH WHICH
WHICH TO
TO GRASP
GRASP MEDIA
MEDIA ANO
AND SOCllTAL
SOCIETAL CHANCE
CHANGE j;I;

solved pragmatically:
be sólved pragmatically: mediatization
mediatization is more easily understood
understood than medializa-
medializa- respects tto someone.
someone. (Maybe this is even a good example indicating indicating that there
rcspects o
'Mediation' as introduced
tion. 'Mediation' introduced in this text should be dealt with as something something verall media logic for 'telegram.')
nOoverall 'telegram.')
no O5. By media environment,
environment, we mean tthe h e set ooff me d"1aan
media andd me d"ia fu
media netions
functions
. th
th
different from 'mediatization'-only
'mediatization'-only to differentiate
differentiate face-to-face
face-to-face communica-
communica-
tion from mediated
mediated communication.
communication. The reason is that it is a conceptual
conceptual and an a person can access and use. How this happens depends on the world this persc
perse
apersone an .
empirical
empirical problem to find out how mediated mediated communication
communication is relevant for medi- . h b"t on the way she or he acts in everyday
inhabits, everyday life, and on further contexts J.i
in ª 1 s, bl 1 .
phenomena. More exactly, a mediatized
atized social and cultural phenomena. mediatized social structure
structure which the person acts. For example, example, if we look at the more ~ta_ stablee re
relations
at1ons aape:
pe.
analyzed by calling it mediated. Instead, it is produced
cannot be analyzed produced by the people son has andd maintains
maintains, this person usually knows whether 1t it 1s
is better to conta,
son h asan ' .
by rather complicated
complicated processes
processes under specific conditions
conditions with specific conse- others bybye-mail
e-mail or by phone. This may depend on the orne time of a day or ~e the day ec
quences, which must be analyzedanalyzed in detail, and thus one should not call this sim- a week, on what we actually know about the other person, or on the top1c. topic. Peop
awee k, • dh"· ·
'mediated.' Also, the 'media logic' concept may be misleading,
ply 'mediated.' misleading, as there is no thus, driven by the forces of everyday everydaylife, culture _and
life, _cul~re and soCietJ:',
society, an and ttheir intentioI
eir mtent101
(technically based) media logic, even if one adopts Altheide and Snow's definition
, (technically definition and crea
an d t 1·vi·ty, use the media for commumcation
creativity, communication man in an expenenced
experienced and connecteconnecte
mass-communication-based form of social actions according
of media logic as a mass-communication-based according way, and nd thus their media environmentenvironment is contextualized
contextualized by a whole complex <(
way, a . . . 44
to Simmel (cf.(c£ Lundby's
Lundby's chapter in this book). The 'media logic' ofTV of TV today is ractices, assumptlons,
practices, assumptions, hab1ts,
habits, competenc1es,
competencies, and so on. .
not the same as of a decade ago, and the 'media logic' of a mobile phone is quite p 6. Above, we defined mediatization mediatization as an ongoing historical historical process that, 1i
different for a 14-year-old
14-year-old girl as compared
compared to a 55-year-old
55-year-old banker. Thus, there each specific epoch, has a specific form. This concept should not be confuse
independent of cultural and societal contexts and independent
is no media logic independent independent with the process oJ diffusion oJ
of dijfusion of innovations,
innovations, as described
described by Everett Rogers. Rogers (1995
ofhistory.
of history. difference of his concept compared
The main difference compared with the meta-processmeta-process discusse
In summary,
summary, what we need is a social theory of media and media changes, changes, and here lies in the societal and cultural understanding understanding of such a process. 'Diffusio 'Diffusio
mediatization can make it clear that we are concerned
the label mediatization concerned with a develop- of innovation' refers to the distribution
ofinnovation' distribution of a fixed innovation population wit
innovation in a population
importance, impact, and meaning for culture
ment of culture and society that by importance, a clear advantage
advantage for its users. But the computer computer or the internet are not innov~
globalization, individualization,
and society should be treated in a similar way as globalization, individualization, tions in this sense, as they do not have a fixed and unchangeable unchangeable form of use. Tr.
and similar meta -processes.
-processes. internet of today is in a relevant way different from the internet we used a decad
4. An
An underlying
underlying assumption
assumption of a theory of mediatization
mediatization is the hypothe-
hypothe- computers. Thus, the concept of a fixed
ago; the same is true for computers. fIXedgiven innovatio
given innovatio
development of media is a nonsubstitutional
sis that the development nonsubstitutional one. This has been well does not work in this case (for a detailed critique, se~ see Krotz 2006).
academic studies in Germany,
known in academic Germany, for example,
example, since Riepfs book (1972, Compared with this, mediatization
Compared mediatization theory is not so much interest~d interested in the si~ sin
first 1913). In more detail, this means that existing media have specific functions functions technology but in the communicational
gle media technology communicational practices associated wtth with ~hethe medt,
mediI
development is an evolution
for their users, and media development evolution that must be characterized
characterized And, as this depends on how people understand understand a medium on the bas1s basis ~fof ~e
the
as a process of differentiation,
differentiation, as more and more needs and intentions intentions refer to own position in their culture and society, mediatizatio~ mediatization is not a mod~rn~zatlo
modernizatio
media and people use media for more and more specific purposes-and purposes-and vice versa, theory but part of an approach approach to a social theory of media and commumcatlon. communication.
functions.
media offer and fulfill more functions. 7. We, of course, must understand understand mediatization
mediatization as a process that takes plac
mediatization, we can observe many such devel-
During the present phase of mediatization, condition that there are further meta-processes
under the condition meta-processes such as globalizatio globalizatio
opments.
opments. For example,
example, in the age of e-mail and the mobile phone, which was (Giddens 2001; Hepp 2004), individualization
(Giddens individualization (Beck 1986, 1996; Krotz 199S: 1998:
telegram still exists. In Germany,
preceded by the fax phase, the telegram
preceded Germany, for example,
example, you commercialization (Schiller 1989; McAllister
and commercialization McAllister 1996). It is worth studying th
congratulate a person on her or his birthday,
can still send a telegram to congratulate birthday, and this relations between changes to culture and society resulting from mediatization mediatization a~ an
is delivered
delivered to this person by a specific carrier. Thus, we observe here that the other long-term
long-term developments
developments if we want to develop a soci~ social ~eory
theory of the ~e<~.il
medil
'telegram' has lost its original function,
old medium 'telegrain' function, which was to inform people For example,
example, as Castells describesdescribes it, media are a presuppos1t10n
presupposition for globalizat10
globalizatio
something. Historically,
rapidly about something. Historically, because telegrams
telegrams were expensive,
expensive, mainly (Castells
(Castells 1996; Castells and Cardoso 2006), and globalization globalization is a reason wh
'important
'important people' received telegrams.
telegrams. To receive a telegram
telegram thus may indicate people use more and more media. Similar relations can be found for other meta
important. Hence, this formerly secondary
that a person is important. secondary function of the tele- processes. Of course, the consequences
processes. consequences of such relations do not _nec~ss~ly necessarily hay hav
gram has now become its primary function, function, namely, to send a telegram
telegram to pay to fit together. example, to act under the conditions
together. For example, conditions of globalizat1on,
globalization, it 1twoul,
LU i I l<ltl)l{IU I l<i<ü I /
MEDIATIZATION:
MEDIATIZATION: A CONCEPT
A CONCEPT WITH
WITH WHICH
WHICH TO
TO GRASP
GRASP MFOIA
MH)IA AND
AND SOCII:TAI.
SOC:11:TALCHANGl
CHANGl Ii 29
29

be helpful to be able to refer to credible media. But in a commercialized

commercialized media . • formation, perspective is in itself an adequate
[ormation, which from this perspective adequate definition
definition of
of[ in
In . . . .'. . b
credibility may be problematic
system, credibility problematic or at least extremely
extremely expensive.
expensive. Thus, the consequence
ication As a consequence th1s
of thiS v1ew,
View, commumcation
commumcatlOn 1s
IS seen to e a
cornrnun .· .
meta-processes must be analyzed simultaneously.
different meta-processes simultaneously. •fi
'fi type of behaviour
behaviour and media appear to be technologies
technolog1esthat may support
support
spec1
speci c ' . .. .
8. Finally, we would like to mention the connection
connection between the mediatiza-
mediatiza- nication under specific
spec1ficcondltlOns.
cond1t10ns.For 1Ostance,a
mstance, a message
message can be stored
cornrnu easily transported
commu h fu . al'
example, suc a nctlOn
a1·
nct1on IS
.
1st1c
tion approach and medium theory, especially
medium theory, especially as it was defined by Joshua Meyrowitz
Meyrowitz transported using media. For example, tiC per-
or more
rnore . . . . th
h' d th
(1985,1995)
(1985, 1950,1951;
1995) (cf. also Innis 1950, McLuhan 1967; Ong 1995; Goody et al.
1951; McLuhan ·. which separates
separates commumcatlOn
commumcat10n from culture and SOCiety, soc1ety,I1s Sbe
be 10m e
spectlve,
spective, .
1986; and Clark's chapter in this book). Obviously,
Obviously, both approaches
approaches refer to diatization approach ofMazzolem
diatization approach ofMazzolem and Schulz (1999). (1999).
the basic idea that the content transported
transported by media is not relevant for ongoing rne
me Second, from a cultural cultural or
or societalperspective, communication in its complex
societalperspective,communication complex
communication practices
changes of culture and society, but rather the changing communication n forms is an important
important element
element of the set of practices
practices by which human
hurna O d h .·
of the people who refer to media. ·. construct their environment
environment and themselves;
themselves; their social relations
relations an t elr eir
b emgs
emgs . .
·. Nevertheless, the main difference
Nevertheless, difference lies in the fact that medium theory tries to everydaylives; their identities;
identities; and the SOCial
social pphenom~na, sense,_an~ meamng.
henom~na, sense,. meamng.
fIXedsocial
describe fixed consequence of technologically
social and cultural states as a consequence technologically given Culture and societysociety as a whole are then the results of thiS th1s commumcatlve
commurucat1veproduc-
produc-
mediatization is a social and cultural approach that is more
media logics, while mediatization tion of reality. This perspective
perspective is behind Williams'
Williams' idea of culture
culture and the work
interested in understanding
interested understanding developments
developments made by human beings and not as a of Carey, who understoodunderstood culture
culture and communication
communication as both sides of the same
consequence of a technology.
consequence technology. It also is not media centred. Thus, the concepts are coin (Carey 1989); it is behind the work ofJuergen of Juergen Habermas,
Habermas, who conceptu~-
conceptu~-
close together and in the long run may find a common language.language. ized systematically sociology by starting
systematically a whole sociology starting with the problem
problem of commum-
commuru-
cative action (1987a);
(1987a); it is behind the well-known
well-known work of Berger and Luckmann
ofBerger Luckmann
about the social construction
construction of reality and society
society (1980);
(1980); and behind the phe-
nomenological sociology
nomenological sociology of Alfred Schuetz
Schuetz (1971) (cf. also Burkitt,
Burkitt, 1991). In
UNDERSTANDING COMMUNICATION
addition, the communication
communication model of George George Herbert
Herbert Mead is based on these
We defined media
media pragmatically
pragmatically as a modifier of communication,
communication, and mediatiza-
mediatiza- ideas, as argued below.
consequences of the
tion then is the concept used to grasp the social and cultural consequences From such a point of view, and
andasas was asserted
asserted by the Sapir-Whorfhypoth-
Sapir-Whorfhypoth-
changing conditions
conditions for communication
communication as offered by the media's development.
development. It communication in its complex
esis, communication complex forms today is not only the characteristic
characteristic
is now obvious that the meaning and importance
importance of the concept of mediatization
mediatization feature of humankind,
humankind, it is also the basis of all our thinking
thinking and experience~
experiencef
then depends on how communication
communication as a concept is understood.
understood. (cf. Whorf 1963). In these complex
complex forms the mechanisms
mechanisms are also inscribed
inscribed b)
To make this clear, we will differentiate
differentiate heuristically
heuristically between two approaches
approaches which'·people maintain
which maintain or overcome
overcome power and hegemony
hegemony and ~y ,,:hich
":hich th~)
understanding communication;
to understanding communication; a behaviouristic
behaviouristic or functional
functional approach,
approach, and a construct sense and meaning.
meaning. And, most importantly,
importantly, commumcatlon
commumcation has It! 1t1
societally or culturally
societally culturally related perspective.
perspective. This contrast is similar to the pos- own history, as today it is not the same as communication
communication was 100 years ag~ ~l ~1

sible understandings
understandings of culture: Talcott Parsons, as is well known, understood
understood
will be in the even more mediatized
mediatized societies
societies of the future. Of course, medlatl-
med1at1-
culture as the set of values and norms of a given society ((c£
culture cf. Parsons and Shils zation as the consequence
consequence of the ongoing
ongoing intertwining
intertwining of communication
communication anc
1962), whereas Raymond
Raymond Williams
Williams conceptualized
conceptualized culture as the 'whole way of media is thus much more relevant
relevant for such a cultural
cultural perspective,
perspective, since it is mud
(Williams 1958, 1981; cf.
life' (Williams c£ also Geertz 1991) of people and, on the basis of more than an intervening
intervening variable.
variable.
Obviously, such a social and cultural
Obviously, cultural based perspective
perspective is compatible
compatible ,,:itl
":itl
this James Carey (1989), said that culture and communication
communication are just different
views of the same thing. The meaning of culture culture in both perspectives,
perspectives, is evi- a semiotic understanding
understanding of communication,
communication, for example,
example, with the encoding.
encoding,
decoding model of Stuart Hall (1980).
(1980). Here, communication
communication happens
happens if people
peoplc
dently rather different. On the basis of these contrasting
contrasting understandings
understandings of what
mediatization
mediatization is, it is possible to outline the role that the concept mediatization
mediatization interpret something
something observable
observable as an intended
intended sign, produced
produced by somebody
somebody w~(
w~<
mayplay.
may play. attempting to express
was attempting express something.
something. In addition,
addition, from a semiotic
semiotic ~nd a symb~~'
symb~~•
interactionist view, parallel
interactionist parallel non-observable,
non-observable, 'inner' processes
processes within the partlCl
part1c1
behaviouristic or .functional
First, from a behaviouristic functional perspective,
perspective, communication
communication is the
human answer to functional
functional problems of human life. The problem is:. how can
is:.how pating people must be assumed.
assumed. They happen
happen on the side of the communicator
communicator
cooperation
cooperation be possible and take place? This problem is solved by the transport
who usually tries to refer with his communication
communication to an imagined
imagined other and sorno
somo
 M[f)IATIZATION:
MEDIATIZATION: A CONC[PT
CON(lPT WITH WHICH ro
WITH WHICH ro GRASP
GRASP MWII\
MWIA AND
AND SOCIU Al CHI\NCl
SOCIETAl (HANel I 51
1 .51
30 1 fRll:lJHICI I KIW rz

given
given situational
situational conditions.
conditions. And this inner inner process
process happens
happens on the side of the Of course,
course, this modelmodel is described
described here only very roughly roughly (cf. Krotz ?O~7).
Krotz _20~7).
less it makes
makes clear what the changechange from face-to-face
face-to-face commumcat1on
commumcatIOn
listener
listener and includes
includes the production
production of meaning,meaning, the interpretation
interpretation of the signs, signs, Nevert h e
Nevert ', .
plus the construction
construction of an idea about about the intentions
intentions of the other
other and of one's own ·. ted communication,
communication, and the change change from one form of med1ated medIated commu-
commu-
to me iad la d"
d' . . h
as a basis for producing
producing an answer.
answer. . •. to anotheranother may mean mean and which
which consequences
consequences me 1at1zat1on
latlzatlOn t us may
OlcatlOn,
n1cat1on ' ."'al . "al lI .. d
Both processes,
processes, the innerinner and the exterior,
exterior, are necessary
necessary for communication
communication c.
c. vari· ous forms
varl'ous forms of living
living together
together soc1etal meanmg, soc1
SOCIetalmeamng, SOCl re at1ons,
atIOns, an
have ror
have lOr '' .. ..
to be successful,
successful, and this shows shows the importance
importance of what the concept concept mediatiza-
mediatiza- ultural phenomena. It
ultural phenomena. It also illuminates
illuminates wh1ch
whIch quest1ons
questIOns have to be answered
answered as
eC sequence
sequence of the developments
developments we are part of today. today. Sorne
Some of these
these ques-
ques-
tion intends
intends to grasp:
grasp: if the participants
participants use media media and refer to media media in such a the con .
way that we speak speak of mediated
mediated communication,
communication, we find basic basic differences
differences com-com- •. wi"ll
Wl'llbe be discussed
discussed in the remaining
remaining parts of th1s thIS chapter.
chapter.
uons
nons
pared
pared with face-to-face-communication.
face-to-face-communication. Other
Other forms
forms of expression
expression and repre- repre-
sentation
sentation and other other senses
senses must be used, used, other
other habits
habits and social
social norms
norms comecome into MEDIATIZATION
MEDIATIZATION AS
AS A FRAMEWORK
FRAMEWORK FOR
FOR EMPIRICAL
EMPIRICAL WORK
WORK
éxistence,
existence, other content will
other content will be produced,
produced, and interpretations
interpretations change.
change. All in all,
other
other conditions
conditions must be fulfilled,
fulfilled, and third parties
parties such as providers
providers or produc-
produc- The following
following text aims to show
show why mediatization
mediatization is a helpful
helpful concept.
concept. Here,
Here,
ers and distributors
distributors or regulating
regulating institutions,
institutions, which
which have their own interests,interests, are the starting
starting point
point is the rather
rather general
general definition
definition of mediatization
mediatization as a meta-
meta-
participating.
participating. Thus, Thus, communication,
communication, which which of course
course is historically
historically and cultur-cultur- rocess
rocess that is similar
similar to such concepts
concepts as globalization,
globalization, individualization,
individualization, and
ally contextualized
contextualized as a social social phenomenon
phenomenon and a human human activity,
activity, today
today differs
differs ~ommercialization.
~ommercialization. All of these
these concepts
concepts help to unite
unite a specific
specific type of empirical
empirical
greatly
greatly from that of earlier earlier generations,
generations, as it is dependent
dependent on society,society, politics,
politics, phenomenon
phenomenon under
under a common
common label.
label. This is an important
important advantage
advantage of a media-
media-
and the economy.
economy. We can assume assume that the individuals
individuals of today
today communicate
communicate in a tization
tization approach,
approach, as we argueargue in the following.
following.
very different
different way from people people of other other cultures
cultures and other times (cf.,
other times (cf., e.g., Goody
Goody T oday we live in an age
Today age that is characterized
characterized by the rapidrapid evolution
evolution of media.
media.
et al. 1986;
1986; Ong 1995; 1995; Assmann
Assmann 1990), 1990), that mediated
mediated communication
communication is different different From
From a technical
technical perspective,
perspective, our media
media environment
environment is becoming
becoming moremore and moremore
to non-mediated
non-mediated communication,
communication, and that the process process of mediatization
mediatization defineddefined complex, as the variety
complex, variety of devices
devices that can take over communicative
communicative function~
function~ for peo-
here is of huge importance
importance for any description
description of societal
societal and cultural
cultural change.
change. ple increases.
increases. This creates
creates uneasiness
uneasiness in the public
public as, for example, .growmg use of
example, the _growmg
To make
make this even clearer,clearer, let us emphasize
emphasize the still underestimated
underestimated posi- computer
computer games games may have problematic together. In
consequences for the way we live together.
problematic consequences In
tion of George
George Herbert
Herbert Mead
Mead (1969,
(1969, 1973).
1973). He not only constructed
constructed a modd modd of addition the intemet
addition internet has been analyzed
analyzed again
again and again
again as to whether
whether it is disturbing
disturbing
, '.
communication
communication that explains explains how one person person can understand
understand another,
another, he even is existing 'social
exi.sting social relations
relations (Wellman
(Wellman and Haythomtwaite
Haythorntwaite 2002).
2002). We knowknow that com- com-
the only thinker
thinker who has tried to show show how human human beings
beings in their structure
structure are plex processes place if an important
processes take place important medium
medium is introduced
introduced into households
households and
produced
produced by communication,
communication, since
since such features
features as self-consciousness
self-consciousness and self- enterprises (Silverstone
enterprises (Silverstone and Haddon
Haddon 1996).
1996). We also knowknow that politics
politics may change
change
awareness
awareness or learninglearning from communicational
communicational experiences
experiences emerge
emerge into existence
existence if people
people acquire
acquire new ways
ways of informing
informing themselves
themselves or discuss~g
discuss~g political
political t~pics,
t~pics, _and
.and
through
through the conditions
conditions of communication
communication and thus as the result result of the necessity
necessity the consequences, example, can be
consequences, for example, be the media-driven
media-driven creation
creatlon of manifesta~~ns
manifesta~~ns
of social
social cooperation.
cooperation. revolutions (cf.
or even revolutions (c£ Nyíri 2005). In
Nyiri 2005). In the meantime,
meantime, a huge amountamount of empmcal
empmca1
In
In a soccer
soccer game
game (this is Mead'sMead's example),
example), the players
players must anticípate
anticipate what research
research on questions
questions such as these
these has been done,
done, and there is also a growing
growing amount
amount
the others
others will do. This is possible possible because,
because, in principle,
principle, each playerplayer knows
knows what of research
research into digitalization,
digitalization, the computer
computer and its use for communication,
communication, and so on.
it is to be part of a soccer
soccer team and how to act in such a situation. situation. Thus,
Thus, by meansmeans Nevertheless, still missing
Nevertheless, missing are broader
broader theoretical
theoretical approaches
approaches and helpful
helpful principles
principles to
of empathy
empathy or, more more precisely,
precisely, by imaginatively
imaginatively adopting
adopting the roles and perspec- perspec- systematize all
systematize all this knowledge
knowledge and to put it into a useful_
useful. or~er. _This is e~~ci~y
or~er ..This e~~ci~y nec-
tives of the others
others and by creating
creating an idea about about what one would would do in the others' others' essary,
essary, because
because all of this knowledge
knowledge is being collected within
being collected Within different
different di~opli~es.
di~opli~es.
situation,
situation, each player player develops
develops an idea of what will happen. happen. This enablesenables a player
player The above-defined
above-defined concept
concept of mediatization
mediatization now may be helpful helpful m 10 domg
do1Og so,
to support
support what happenshappens (if (if the other
other player
player is in the same
same team)
team) or to operate
operate as described
described below.
below.
against it (if
against (if the other
other player
player is in the other other team).
team). Just the samesame happens
happens in every every
1. The mediatization
l. mediatization concept
concept defines
defines communication
communication as the core activity
activity
form of cooperation
cooperation and in every every communication.
communication. Obviously,
Obviously, this idea includes includes
of human
human beings;
beings; thus, a starting
starting point
point for classifying
classifying knowledge
knowledge should
should
Erving
Erving Goffinan's
Goffinan's microsociological
microsociological descriptions
descriptions ofhow
of how people
people present
present themselves
themselves
be the dijferent forms oJ
dijJerent Jorms of mediated
mediated communication,
communication, not the single
single medium.
medium.
and answer
answer others.
others.
:i2 ! f RllllRICH KIWT/ ;,,'l lJi/\!IL.AllON: A CONUl'l VVl\11 VVI\IUI IV "'"'J' """'"" ,., . .,

Systematically, we can differentiate

Systematically, differentiate with whom communication
communication is done. ETICAL RELATIONS
THEORETICAL
OR
RELATIONS AND
ANO ENLARGEMENTS:
ENLARGEMENTS:
There is mediated interpersonal
interpersonal communication
communication in its different forms·forms',
THE
HABERMAS,
HABERMAS, BOUROIEU, ELIAS, AND
BOURDIEU, ELIAS, ANO OTHERS
OTHERS
communication that is the production
communication standardized'
production or reception of given standardized
and generally addressed
addressed messages
messages as found on TV, radio, intemet
internet websites ., d above we can study mediatization
mediatization as a process process that is rooted
,\S 1t
:\s It was argue ,' ,· '· I1 d h
or in books; andas
and as a new form of communication
communication interactive
interactive communica~
communica~ • t'lon of communication
d' tion communication and takes place III m sOClety,cu
soc1ety,cu ture, an t e
.10
, the me ia la ". . '. ul
systematize and categorize
tion. This may be helpful to systematize categorize the existing empir- 10 e day life of the individual, individual. As we understandunderstand commumcatlOn
commumcat1on ~s a Slm s1m ta-
emphasize missing links, and to create theory. A special
ical results, to emphasize ev
eVry ry ., and exterior
exterior process,
process, we obviously
obviouslyrefer to an understandlllg
understandmg of human
oeouSlfiner
neous mner h '. . d' 'd
advantage is that here the communicational
advantage communicational practices are the starting point, ., ·' gfu1
gful where this meaning meaning is constructed
constructed by the t e actmg III m IV!1vi -
actiOn as rneanm
act1on meamn ,' ". d' '. .
necessaryif
not the single media, as is necessary socialtheory
if one wants to construct a social theory . al'
al · tal and cultural
cultural contexts,
contexts. On that baSIS,thebas1s, the medlatlzatlon
me 1at1zat1on
ual m lfi person socle soc1e ,. .. .
',.
(Thompson 1995; Krotz 2001, 2007).
of the media and their change (Thompson be linked to other theories; theories; here we WIlldescnbe
w1lldescribe Just JUSta few.
approac can h ,. ,. '. '. ,. b k '.
2. Mediatization
Mediatization theory mainly is interested
interested in changes to the different fields Habermas uses the word mediatlzatlOn
Habermas mediat1zat1onIII m hISh1s book oo on commumca-
commumca-
uergen
uergen , ". . .
, , ,• h · · al
., J ·'
J nd the corresponding
corresponding German German word, Mediatlslerung,
Mediat1s1erung, III
h
m t e onglll
"al
ongm
Empirical questions
of everyday life, culture, and society. Empirical questions and results thus
nve
tlve actionactiOnaa ,. 1i 'd
li •t1
can be classified
classified according
according to whether these changes ~ake place on a micro,
~akeplace micro, ·, (Habermas
(Habermas 1987a vol 2 p 452). But he does not define It 1t expexp Cl y, as
c1 y,
verslOn
vers10n ' .,'
· ' · ".,
, · · · d
mezzo, or macro
mezzo, macro leve!.
level. For example, on the micro level, the use of mobile kn ow. The C coreore difference
difference between
between Habermas
Habermas use of mediattzatton
medtattzatton an
far as I kn ". . '. .
communication
communication devices such as the cellular phone or the notebook notebook are the concept as it is used here is what is understood understood as medta,
media. Here, medlatlzatl0n mediat1zat1on
relevant to the actual situation in which a person acts. These devices refers to what may be called communicational communicational media-books,
media-books, n~wspapers, n~wspapers, V, :r:rv,
make the situation more complex,
complex, as the owner becomes dependent
dependent on radio, 0,
the internet ', and so on. However, However, Habermas
Habermas does not speCIfythe specify the medIa
,,
media to
¡ · fr
l'
external influences,
influences, or he or she can change the situation by using that which he refers. Instead, Instead, he writes about the dependencydependency of people resu tlng ting om
medium. In particular,
particular, an everydaylife approach here would make sense, mediatization of the lifewor1d
the mediatization lifeworld by system imperatives
imperatives .. .' (Habermas (Habermas 1987b,
as that is the place where new developments
developments must begin (cf. Thomas vol. 2, p. 305, emphasis in the original). original). ,. '. .
Furthermore, the digital media have a great impact on political
2008). Furthermore, As a result Habermas'
Habermas' concept concept is closer to the hlstoncal
histoncal concept concept of medl- medi-
parties, the way enterprises
enterprises earn money, how universities
universities teach, and on atization, which is mainly used to describe describe how former immediate immediate institutions institutions
institutions such as the police do their jobs-effects
how institutions jobs-effects on the mezzo of the historical Deutsches Deutsches Reich became became mediated
mediated with reference reference to a modem modem
level. There are also effects on the macro level, such as the imagination
imagination of understanding of state (cf. Livingstone
understanding Livingstone 2009). Nevertheless,
Nevertheless, in his view~medi- view~ medi-
what is specific and unique to be a human being (Turkle 1996) and how communication is a process
ated communication process that integrates
integrates a person more and more llltO~e mto ~e
socialization may change (Livingstone
socialization (Livingstone 2008). systemically structured world of society and economy,
systemicallystructured economy, and this fits the perspectIve perspective
Furthermore, we can order existing knowledge
3. Furthermore, knowledge and unanswered
unanswered questions
questions used here.
mediatization of different fields, such as political com-
by studying the mediatization The approach of Pierre
PierreBourdieu
Bourdieuis in at least two ways ,highly
_highlyi~po~ant
i~po~ant for a
munication
munication and democracy,
democracy, the communication
communication of economic
economic relevance,
relevance, medatization approach-in
medatization approach-in his concepts
concepts of capital and habItus
hab1tus ~nd IIIm hISc~nc~pt
h1s c~nc~pt
entertainment, and so on.
the effects on the social relations, effects on entertainment, of symbolic power. This is because research
because research does ~ot only CO~SlSt
co~s1sto~ a descnp~lOn
o~a descnp~10n
Of course, this can also be structured systematically. If we want to
structured more systematically. discussion of what happens,
and discussion happens, it also must set ItSits results lfi
m relatlon
relation to SOCIety
society
understand how life wil1
understand will be in the mediatized
mediatized societies of the future, we Academic research
as a whole. Academic research is responsible
responsible not only for results but also for the
knowledge. Finally, we do not need only a description
must classify this knowledge. description interests that are behind it. Bourdieu's
Bourdieu's work then is helpful for evaluating
evaluating research
research
and structured
structured theories of what happens, but also a critical theory of results and for giving them a meaning in society.
meaning society.
mediatization that refers to Bourdieu,
mediatization Bourdieu, Foucault,
Foucault, and others (see below The concepts of cultural,
cultural, social, and symbolic
symbolic capital (Bourdieu
(Bourdieu 1993) are
and other chapters in this book). generalizations of Marx's
generalizations Manc's idea of economic
economic capital.
capital. He defined
defined th~m s~ as to be
able to analyze the life chances
chances of persons
persons in a given culture an~ SOCIety
soe1etyImIIaa broad
Thus, in its present state, mediatization
mediatization may be a helpful way of asking relevant way. Cultural capital consists,
consists, for instance,
instance, of co~ecte~
co~ecte~ expenence~,
expenence~, the owner-
questions,
questions, making them empirically
empirically accessible,
accessible, and collecting
collecting and classifying what
classifyingwhat ship of cultural goods, and institutional
institutional tides,
titles. ThIS
This capItal
capital may be lllcorporated,
mcorporated,
we know already. ·'
 ¡1¡1Ll)IATIZATION:
rvlLlJIATIZATION: CONCLPT WITH
A CONCLPT WITH WHICH
WHICII TO
TO CRASP
CRASP MEDIA
MLDIA AND
AND SOCILTAI.
SOCILTAl. CHANGL
CHANGL I1 :55
:S~

objectivcly present, or institutional.

objectively prcscnt, institutional. Social includes, among other things,
Social capital includcs, things, ·.nteraction
nteraction with our parents,
parents, in school,
school, and nowadaysnowadays with the med.ia. med_ia.
h1 1
the knowing of the right persons with reference to specific questions
questions if one needs t hroug fifi nce to Bourdieu
Bourdieu we can even assumeassume that me d"la 1am· me d"dd"latlze
· d SOCle-
1at1ze soc1e-
thc \Vith
\\lith re ere ere' , ,. .
some information.
a job or sorne symbolic capital is
information. And symbolic is the concept that describes ·. hty instrument
instrument for influencing
influencing body and habltus hab1tus and for transportmg
transportmg
..es
es are a m1g ffilg d .. al al .
every influence or advantage
advantage a person gains through honour or credibility.
credibility. tl
ti d rules to people-of
people-of course,
course, this assumption
assumption nee s empmc empmc an YS1S ys1sttoo
norms an . .
These three concepts now can be seen as generalizations
generalizations of the economic
economic d t how this happens happens and m whlch wh1ch fields.
since ali
capital concept, since all forros
forms of capital fin ;;nally, let us have a look at the Theory TheoryofGivilization
oJCivilization o:NorbedrtculElias
o:NorbedrtculElias (1972,
994 cf. also Burkitt 1993). Elias aims to show sOCletyan soc1ety an ture as an
1993,•, 1 •d' everlasting
everlasting process
process which he called the process · ·r .· H lS
process 0of Ctvt,tzafton.
'-r
ctvt,izatton. is
have a value defined by society
society and culture
ongomg
ongOlngan an was to overcome ' the dualism f'f. m d'
d.lVl
"dual an d'
'd d soclety,
. w h'ch
1 -
are important
important for power and life
life chances tual idea overcome dualism o
0 1vi soc1ety,
conceptual h. ki
accumulated, and
can be accumulated, . D artes-is fundamentally
fundamentally inscribed
inscribed into Westem-Western- b ased t h'm king an d
smce ese
smce esc .,..
. . . .
exchanged against any other capital
can be exchanged .'ng
ng of the world and thus also mto academlc academ1c SOClal social aand
nd cultural
cultural SC1-
sc1-
und erst andl ,
ce
ce for empirical
empirical work, he referred
referred to two core concepts: concepts:
ence. Hen ,
Bourdieu'ss generalization
Thus, Bourdieu' generalization can be used to describe how society functions in
dependence of the resources
dependence resources of actors, and these four forros forms of capital relate all First, the concept jigurations, in which people experience
concept offigurations, experience and act on t~e
social phenomena
phenomena to the categories
categories of power and hegemony.
hegemony. The different types basis of interdependencies.
interdependencies. Such figurations
figurations are, for example,
example, the family
description of inequality
of capital thus provide a better description inequality than the digital divide or the society as a whole, but also a group of passengers
passengers on a ship. Such a
(c£ Krotz 2006).
approach (cf. figuration sorne time or may exist.m~re
figuration may last for some exist_m~re bri~Y;
bri~y; i~ e.achcase,
e_achcase,
In relation to mediatization,
mediatization, Bourdieu's
Bourdieu's capital concept may serve to describe figuration depends
a figuration depends on its contexts
contexts (if the Shlp
sh1p smks, this Wlllmfluence
will mfluence
changes in the life chances of people caused by media and communication
communication devel- the figuration passengers in a relevant
figuration of the passengers relevant dimension).
dimension). .
devaluated by software such that specific skills
opment. Cultural capital may be devaluated And second, the concept of or
concept personalityfarmation habitus,
personalityformation habitus, which descnbes
descnbes
are no longer necessary:
necessary: the knowledge
knowledge to write and to spell a word in a correct individual as a member
the individual member of a figuration
figuration that demands
demands and produces
produces a
importance for a person, as one may be supported
way, today is of less importance supported to write specificbehaviour
behaviour and the fulfilling
fulfilling of specific
specific norms by its members. I:Iis
members.1:is
programme. IItt is also possible by social changes
correctly by an adequate software programme. favourite example
example here is an understanding
understanding of society
society as a da~c~, Whl~
wh1~
forms of literacy may contribute
that new forros contribute to one's cultural capital. The same can shows.very
shows. very well how the figuration
figuration exists only throug~
throug~ the actl~ty
act1:1tyof ~ts
happen with other types of capital. For example, in the process of mediatization,
mediatization, members but has its own rules and reality, reality, and that lt1t compnses
compnses of ltS
1ts
new elites may become influential
influential in enterprises
enterprises or institutions,
institutions, or tradition- members as dancers.
dancers.
experiences and images lose their binding force. Such processes,
ally oriented experiences processes, of
course, must be analyzed not only in terms of what is won or lost by a person, but Now Elias' two core concepts,
concepts, figuration
figuration and habitus,
habitus, in some
sorne sense are the two
perspective with reference to groups and classes.
from a political perspective sides'of
sides'of the same coin as the habitus is generated
habitus generated by membership
membership in figurations,
figurations,
A further concept of Bourdieu that is relevant with reference to mediatiza- mediatiza- and figurations because people interact
figurations just work because interact and behav~
behav~ in ~n adequate
adequate way.
tion is that of symbolic violence, which ''... ... is the imposition
imposition of systems of sym- Elias, using this as a basis, showed
showed empirically
empirically that the hlstoncal
h1stoncal development
development
in Europe in the last 1000 years can be understood
understood as a socio- and p.sychog~ne-
p_sychog~ne-
bolism and meaning (i.e., culture) upon groups or classes in such a way that they
experienced as legitimate'
are experienced legitimate' 0enkins
Oenkins 1992, p. 104). Symbolic
Symbolic violence works happening in association
sis happening association with one another. course, these ~oo mtertwmed
another. Of course, mtertwmed n:
by addressing
addressing people in their habitus such as their dispositions,
dispositions, used categories,
categories, developments sophisticated and complex
developments were rather sophisticated complex but led to fittmg re.s~ts:
re_s~ts:the
generative schemes, so that their social practises, individual
and generative individual experiences,
experiences, and sociogenesis consisted of the development
sociogenesis development of hierarchy,
hierarchy, economy,
economy, politlCS,and
polit1cs, and
views and expectations
expectations of culture and society are included. society so that the relations
relations between
between the people become
become more and more com-
Bourdieu developed
developed this concept in his studies about education education in France. plex, and every single activity
activity has consequences
consequences for more and more other persons.
persons.
that-learning means to inscribe
When we grow up, we do not only learn this and that-learning especially true in the case of the economy.
This is especially economy. Of course"
course,_these ~evelopments
~evelopments
the rules of society into our bodies, our thinking, our emotions,
emotions, and intentions.
intentions. must be understood
understood in relation
relation to power and power balances
balances m the dlfferent
d1fferentfigu-
consist of
some sense consist
We in sorne of these
these rules structure, which we learn
rules that give us a structure, rations. On the other hand, the closely corresponding
corresponding process
process of psychogenesis
psychogenesis

.,
 r,tiLJIATIZATION:
MiLJIATIZATION: A CONCEf'T
CONC[f'T WITH
WITH WHICH ro GRASP
WHICH TO GRASP MUJIA AND SOCif:TAI
MElJIA ANlJ CHANG [ 1 !,/
SOCiET AI CliANGL !>7 I

describes
describes how people increasingly
increasingly learn to incorporate
incorporate norms and rules into their t no matter where he or she is. It also makes it possible for the owner
inorncn'
nlOIl1Cn ,
each single expenence ...•.
expenence . .
1mmed1ately
ImmedIately . selected others whom hhe or
w1th
WIth
personalities so that their superegos
personalities superegos evolved, and they became able to control their h
tOSare
rosare ·.. the rap1dly
· chh'angmg · worldf Idfo
emotions.
emotions. This guaranteed
guaranteed the behavior that was necessary
necessary to live under more all All this then guarantees
guarantees that, even m In rapIdly 0
she can c . d ºbl
·bl· .
conditions within economy,
and more ~omplex conditions economy, politics, and society. Of course, social coherence
coherence may exist, at least inside specific groups an poss1 POSSiy ymrn
today,
ay, -term -term forms. Interactive
Interactive media then show deve opment m a werent l
I ·
. d' rr
d·rr
merent
these ongomg
ongoIng developments
developments were not planned; they just happenedhappened in the collec- new
neW sso.hOrt • •. •.
tive people lived in. fitting direction:
direction: interact1ve
interactIve commumcat1on
commumcatlon takes place between a person and
Empirically, Elias analyzed the evolution
Empiricaliy, evolution of norms, rules, and manners;
manners; laws but computer hardware/software
lex computer hardware/software system, including including artificial intelligence
intelligence
a comp hus .., all b"b' ,. l1i
and habits; and also, if possible, their real behaviour.
behaviour. For example,
example, learning to hus we wil1 .
will mcreasmgly .
rncreasIngly hve . .
lIve m a world where ali o0 1ects
~ectsreact mtelli-
react •·
producuc·ts . T ,
eat from one'
one'ss own plate using a knife and fork instead of eating by hand from a end .' It then may become more and more complicated
entl complicated to differentiate
differentiate between
y dialog and a dialog wit
gan inner ·
. h h
WIt suc 1vmg '1"
•1· ·
lVlng o '
'b' bº
0 ~ects. Thº
Th' sound s paradd'oxic
ISsoun
1s . al,
OXlC,
common plate, how to sneeze and not to spit on the table-learning
table-learning manners like
expressions of these general developments.
these are expressions developments. Not only have laws been rel- but it is not. For example, a verbal dialog between an owner with a dog cannot be
evant for success, but aliall forros
forms of self-socialization,
self-socialization, whereby people learned what seen only as a dialog with an animal but must be viewed as an inner dialog of the
disgusting, and so on. Most or ali
is normal and that being not normal may be disgusting, all of constitutes the dog as a simulated
owner of the dog, which constitutes simulated opposite-and
opposite-and this
developed at the royal court of a country and then spread
these norms were first developed 'intelligent' objects with which we communicate
also happens with 'intelligent' communicate (Krotz 2007).
'ordinary' people. Thus, one could say that the adoption of these rules
out to the 'ordinary' In conclusion,
conclusion, we can derive very interesting interesting relations from the theory of civi-
intermingled power and violence with the wish to gain a higher status in society
intermingled lization and the way it works by applying the mediatization mediatization approach.
approach.
improving behaviour.
by improving behaviour.
In detail, Elias mainly analysed media. This work includes his view that
people use these media to understand
understand other ideas and in doing so may change FINAL REMARKS
themselves-an
themselves-an socialization for a more fitting life under
active process of socialization empirical research and further theoretical
Of course, much further empirical theoretical approaches
approaches
changing
changing conditions.
conditions. Of course, other processes
processes were also relevant for this mediatization approach
could be taken into account to make a mediatization approach fruitful and to
development:
development: values and norms changed by religion or other institutions; institutions; laws empirically based, theoretically
gain an empiricaliy theoretically helpful understanding
understanding of what is taking
and rules that emerged in growing cities that had their own conditions conditions of life; place today. To these belong Shibutani's
Shibutani's ideas of the difference
difference between mem-
compared each other's manners;
different classes that compared manners; and face-to-face
face-to-face com~u- bership and reference
reference groups, which was discussed
discussed in the 1950s within sociology;
sociology; 1

nication with neighbours,

neighbours, friends, or other persons. the social Shibutani (cf. Shibutani
world concept of Anselm Strauss and Tamotsu Shibutani
socialworld Shibutani
Nevertheless,
Nevertheless, this is the point at which we can refer to mediatization. mediatization. 1955; Charon 1979), which could be used to describe online communities,
communities, the
Communication obviously
Communication obviously is the hinge or joint at which personality
personality formation
formation everyday life reality, as was developed
concept of different realities in contrast to everyday developed
becomes typical and changes in accordance accordance with the necessities
necessities of a society. explicitly refer to other chapters
by Alfred Schuetz (1971a), and so on. We also explicitly
These necessities
necessities of society are realized in the interdependent
interdependent figurations
figurations that
in this book.
we are forced to be part of in order to organize our lives for producing producing goods, What we need is much more empirical
empirical research on that and in larger aca-
guaranteeing shelter from violence and so on, economicaliy,
for guaranteeing economically, politicaliy,
politically, cul- 'figurations.' But ali
demic 'figurations.' all empirical
empirical research makes sense only if we are able to
turally, and socialiy.
turaliy, socially. As stated above, today no single figuration
figuration can, in the age theoretical approaches
develop adequate theoretical approaches and bind them together with the existing
mediatized cultures and societies,
of mediatized societies, be understood
understood without taking into account theories into a close network of academic
academic knowledge.
knowledge. This is what mediatization
mediatization
communication practices that refer to media. Media thus are the hinge and
the communication
could be helpful for.
figurations and the habitus of a person of today: TV and the
joint between the figurations
standardized messages,
media of standardized messages, such as radio and books, explain to us how the
world works. (Reality) TV and similar entertainment
entertainment forros
forms today, for example,
example, NOTES
'really' are and what they are doing and in which ways. As
show us how people 'realiy' As
already mentioned,
mentioned, mobile phones make their owner accessible accessible eve~here
eve~here and l.
1. Sorne
Some researchers in a media-centered view understand communication always as being mediated-
for instance, mediated by air or something like this. This is not the position presented here.
at ali
all times. They also make it possible for the cell phone owner to le;ve at any

..
-~- ----
 38 1rRlt:DRICII KROTZ
'.AUllATIZATION: A CONC[PT WITH WHICH TO GRASP MEDIA ANO SOCIHAI. CHANGI' 1 ~9

course, there_
Of ~ourse, some conditions that must be
there are sorne be fu1fillcd
fulfilled if we speak of communication,
communication hut
b
1,.S . '1980). EncodinglDecoding, Hall, Stuart, Hobson, D., et al
(1980). Encoding/Decoding, (Eds.). Culture,
a1.(Eds.). Media,Language,
Culture, Media, Language,
the 1~~rtant
i~~ortant thing to construct a thcory being human is communication, not thc
theory about bcing the physi al
ph;Sicu~ lfal
11311,·· S· \ .' .
condinons
condltlOns for that. ca UniversIty ofBinningham
London: University of BIrmmgham Press, pp. 128-138.
ann,
. n M. M. (2008).
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Medienanegnungskonzepts.
2. We would cvcn even suggest that the other way round also works: what modifies communication should sh uld Ihrnnan ,
Bart~inter,
. "Vinter, C., c., Hepp, A., and Krotz, F. (Eds.) (2008). Theorien Theorien der der Kommunikations-
Kommunikotions- und und
be understood as media. But of course, we here confine ourselves to what usually 15 is d t °d
• under d
dº
d' •. ." . . un erstoo
s 00 as
as Medienwissenschaft.
Medienwissenschajt. Wieshaden:Wiesbaden: VS, 401-416.
.Ia in
~e _ia In commun_ication studies-letters and TV,
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3. Similar
diffe
dire
compatlble definitions are given by HJ"arvard
SImilar or compatible
de . . .
fininons are given,
rent defimtlons
uerent gIVen,for
HJ'arvard (2008) van Loon (2008)
,',an
for example, by Mazzoleni/Schulz (1999).
d th
' an o0 ers, and ~t-ard.
1
s.
H~PPar'
A.
A (2004). Net:t.werke

fI lJf\' , .
d' S (2008).
Netzwerke der

•
Nordicom Review,
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Medien. Medienkulturen

RevIew, 29(2), 105-134.

Medienkulturen und und G/oba/isierung.
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social and cultural

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There is a decided lack of a consistent and commonly shared concept of mediati-

zation, a shortfall that leads to a limited transferability of the latest research con-
tributions to the field. The aim of this chapter is to develop an analytical concept
of mediatization that can be adopted within a wide thematic range of communi-
cation studies.
The core of the discussion on "mediatization" is about societal media effects
that are a result of the modernization of mass media and the media organizations. ,I
There is a proximity to established concepts in the research field of media effects
spiral of
such as the spiral of silence
silence (Noelle-Neumann 1993). But whereas the spiral of
silence focuses on the connection between the climate of opinion and political
opinion-making, mediatization focuses on societal change that is activated by the
alteration of the media system, or at least is aided by this alteration. The main
not,'Wriat does this mean for the processes of political opinion-
question then is not;"\lvríat
making before, say, elections?" Rather, it is, "What
'What does this mean for the society
as a whole or, in particular, for the political system?" Despite the intensity of the
discussion on the theoretical level, there is a striking lack of concrete research on
mediatization and its effects, and the research community has not come up with a
commonly shared concept of what mediatization is and does.
The focus of this chapter is on societal structures, in particular on institutions
as the central elements of organization in modern societies. lt It doubtlessly
doubdessly makes a