Political communication
Study of messaging in politics across media and history.
Political communication is the practice or study of political messaging, such as in campaigns, speeches, and advertising, often within mass media. It is an interdisciplinary subfield between communication studies and political science, concerned with information flow, political influence, policy making, news, and public opinion. The subfield also studies political social media, propaganda, the political economy of communication, and non-profit organizations that communicate to affect political processes.
- field
- Interdisciplinary subfield between communication studies and political science
- known_for
- Study of political messaging, propaganda, spin, digital media effects, and actor interactions
- key_actors
- Citizens, journalists (news media), politicians
- modern_changes
- Digitization of media, polarization, post-truth media environment
- notable_examples
- Pericles, Cicero, Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Tony Blair, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Lore & Background
Political communication has existed since antiquity. In ancient Greece, public speeches by figures like Pericles shaped political discourse and rallied support for war. During the Roman Empire, propaganda, rhetoric, and public spectacles were used to influence public opinion, with Cicero famed for his skills. The modern printing press in industrial Britain enabled mass media, transforming political communication through propaganda, advertising, and public relations. Edward S. Herman noted that the expensive printing press priced out labour and co-operative organizations, giving corporations early control and allowing right-wing editors to dominate, excluding working-class and left-wing voices.
Reader's Guide
Political communication is significant as it shapes how political messages are created, disseminated, and received, influencing public opinion, policy making, and democratic processes. Its study reveals tensions between citizens, journalists, and politicians, as outlined by John Zaller: journalists produce overly sophisticated news, politicians and journalists vie for control of content, and citizens seek accountability while politicians may evade it. Dumdum and Bankston expanded on this, showing media effects like agenda-setting, issue framing, and priming among citizens and political elites. The subfield's evolution from ancient symbols to digital platforms highlights its adaptability and enduring relevance. Modern challenges, including post-truth environments and corporate control of media, underscore the need for critical analysis of how power and information flow. Political communication remains central to understanding democracy, propaganda, and the role of technology in shaping public discourse.
Did You Know?
- Political communication has existed since antiquity, with rulers using symbols and monuments to communicate power.
- Edward S. Herman argued that the expensive printing press in industrial Britain allowed corporations to dominate mass media, excluding working-class voices.
- Alistair Campbell, Tony Blair's press secretary, used press briefings to spin negative situations for the British government.
- The Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal involved unethical mining of user data to assist Donald Trump's election campaign.
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