Media, Society and Politics

Course Objective

After completion of this course, the student is able to:
• Understand and explain the interdependence between media/journalists,
political actors and the public in theoretical terms;
• Explain and understand the main effects of media coverage on the
behaviour of politicians and political parties, as well as the different
media publics;
• Explain current media-related issues in the public sphere in
theoretical terms;
• Explain and predict the effects of media coverage via social and
traditional media on society as a whole (in terms of, for example,
polarisation or political participation);
• Reflect on the increasing economic, social and political relevance of
the data industry by large media companies;
• Reflect on ethical and normative aspects of current media-related
issues in the public sphere and from there make recommendations to the
various actors (journalists, media companies, broadcasters or political
actors) in the debate.

Course Content

Lectures:
The central topic in this course is how the media (and media companies),
political actors (the government, ministries, politicians, political
parties, businesses, interest groups and social movements) and citizens
influence each other.
We address in particular the changing media landscape (media
concentration and integration), political reporting ('Fake News' and
misinformation), the mediatisation of politics (a.o. the work of Jesper
Strömbäck) and the mutual interdependence and influence of media and
politics (the so-called 'media-politics-media cycle' by, among others,
Gadi Wolfsfeld).
The growing political influence of media (companies), the increasing
concentration of media ownership and the degree of pluralism of the
media landscape all have an impact on the behaviour of politicians and
on the quality of the political information citizens receive. We also
consider the changing media behaviour of citizens, the use of social and
traditional media and the effects of so-called 'filter-bubbles',
'selective exposure' and ‘news-avoidance. We analyse to what extent
political institutions and actors depend on mass media and are shaped by
the ‘media logic’. Important theories in sociology, communication
science and political science argue that socioeconomic developments are
of major importance for the structure of the media landscape and for the
political knowledge of citizens.
In this course, we discuss ways in which economic and social changes
affect the functioning of mass media and thus impact on the quality of
democracy and citizenship. Different approaches have been used to
reflect on the role of the traditional and new mass media in modern
democracies. Some see an important role for the (traditional) mass media
to hold those in power accountable (the so-called 'watch-dog' function
of the media), while others see the media as mere ‘lap-dogs’, as they
are too passive and subordinate towards those in power too and
uncritically us the professional news production of by powerful
bureaucracies and companies (see a.o. the work of Noam Chomsky).
Populist and other anti-establishment politicians often portray the
traditional/legacy media as an enemy of the people and their own party.
They accuse the media of biased reporting, prejudices and lies. In the
lectures and seminars, we analyse to what extent such media bias exists
and to what extent such media bias affects quality of (political)
information to citizens. Needless to say, we will focus on election
campaigns and assess how and to what extent political campaigns are
influenced by media coverage and new social media technology, as well
as ways in which politicians try to control mass media coverage about
themselves, their own party and their political opponents.

Work group sessions:
Within politics, the debate is used to defend and criticize points of
view. Not only do these debates, which are public, provide the parties
with direct influence on public opinion, but these debates are also the
source for the media to provide information to the wider public. Various
methods, such as framing, are therefore used both within the debate
itself and in reporting, in order to influence the citizen (i.e. the
voter). In order to gain insight into the ways in which this influence
takes place, it is therefore important to be able to follow, understand
and value a debate.
You will learn this by both participating in a debate on a current
media-related issue and by reporting about a debate.

Additional Information Teaching Methods

A combination of lectures and working groups.

Method of Assessment

Final grade based on written examination and assignment.

Literature

Wolfsfeld, G. (2022). Making Sense of Media and Politics: Five
Principles in Political Communication (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Syllabus of scientific articles is published in Canvas.

Additional Information Target Audience

Second year students bachelor Communication Science, Sociology, students
minor
Communication Science and students minor Journalism