Political Science

Political Culture and the Media

 Media constitutes much more than a channel of communications; they’re part of the
political process itself affecting and not merely reflecting the distribution of power in
society at large.
 Political Culture: Pattern of orientations to political objects such as parties, government,
the constitution expressed in beliefs, symbols and values.
 Political Culture vs Public Opinion: Fashioned out of long term values rather than
simple reactions to specific policies or problems
 3 types of political culture (Almond and Verba)
1. Participant Political Structure- Citizens pay close attention to politics, popular
participation is thought to be desirable and effective (Democratic Ideal)
2. Subject Political Culture- Passivity amongst citizens, belief that they have a v limited
capacity to influence the government
3. Parochial Political Culture- Absence of sense of citizenship, locality used as a form of
identification rather than nation. 0 desire or ability to participate in politics.
 Civic Culture: A set of specific attitudes necessary for the survival of modern
democracies (Blend of all 3 cultures)
 Democratic Stability: blend of activity and passivity on part of the citizens and balance
bw obligation and performance on part of the government.

 Criticisms of Civic Culture

1. Model of psychological dispositions that make for a stable democracy is highly

questionable (Passivity, deference to authority is healthy??)
2. Rests on the unproven assumption that political attitudes and values shape behavior not
the other way round
3. Tends to treat political culture as homogenous (Little more than a cipher for national
culture and national character)

-Radical approaches to political culture tend to highlight the significance of social

divisions such as those based on class race and gender.
Sleeping Dogs Theory: Low participation indicates broad satisfaction w the government
Criticism (Could just represent widespread alienation and ingrained disadvantage)
Marxist View: Acknowledged the power of ideas, values and beliefs, ‘ideas and culture is a part
of a superstructure’
Two Theories of Culture
1. Culture is class specific (not consciousness which determines social existence but vice
versa)
2. Ideology (The degree to which the ideas of the ruling class pervade society and become
the ‘ruling ideas’.

 Hegemony: Ability of dominant class to exercise power over the subordinate one//
Dissemination of bourgeoisie values & beliefs throughout society.
 Bourgeoisie Ideology: Marxist term- Denoting ideas and theories that serve the
interests of the bourgeoisie by disguising the contradictions of the capitalist society
Marxist view rests on distinction bw subjective and real interests

 Radical View of Power (Stephen Lukes): A exercises power over B when A affects B in a
manner contrary to B’s interests.
Criticism: Unwarrantedly patronizing to suggest that the values and beliefs of ordinary
people have been foisted upon them by manipulation and indoctrination.

 Social Capital: Social and cultural factors that underpin wealth creation. Social
connectiveness (networks, norms, and trust that promote civic engagement)
Can rise thru education and stress on active citizenship
Decline: ‘Parenting Defecit’- Rise of individualism, increase in social and geographical
mobility.
 Putnams Reasons for Declining Social Capital:
 Spread of suburbanization: Longer journeys to work
 Rise of two career families: impact on the quantity and quality of parenting
 Tendency of television to private leisure time: Misshape social perceptions & reduce
achievement levels in children.

 From a social democratic perspective: Decline in social capital is bec of triumph of

consumer capitalism and spread of materialist and individualist values.

 Traditional Values: Values and beliefs that have been passed down from earlier
generations.
 Communitarianism: Individuals are shaped by the communities to which they belong
and thus owe them a debt of respect and consideration.
1) Left Wing Communitarians: Community demands unrestricted freedom and social
equality
2) Centrist Communitarians: Community is grounded in reciprocal rights and
responsibilities
3) Right Wing Communitarians: Community requires respect for authority and
established values.

 Neoconservatism: Defence of traditional values and established beliefs are the central
themes for neoconervatism.

 Political culture is becoming increasingly fragmented and modern societies are changing
by growing moral and cultural diversity.

 Postmaterialism: Expresses nature of political concerns and values in terms of levels of

economic development.

1) Material scarcity breeds egoistical or acquisitive values- politics is dominated by

economic issues.
2) In conditions of widespread prosperity- Individuals express more concern towards
‘post material’ or ‘quality of life’ issues, concerned w morality and personal
fulfillment.
 Political Socialization: The process through which individuals acquire political beliefs
and values- transmitted from one generation to the next
1) Families and schools- Primary agents of political socialization
2) Workplace, peer groups, mass media- Secondary agents of political socialization.

 Through a combination of social and technological changes mass media has become an
increasingly powerful and political actor. 3 developments are noteworthy:
1) Impact of the ‘primary agents’ of political socialization has declined- due to greater
social and geographical mobility, & by the spread of individualist and consumerist
values.
2) Development of a mass television audience- Massively increased the media’s
penetration in people’s everyday lives.
3) Media has become more powerful economic actors- (No government can afford to
ignore them)
 THEORIES OF MASS MEDIA
1) Pluralist Model: Highlights diversity and multiplicity generally
- Expresses media as an ideological marketplace where a wide range of political values
are debated and discussed
- Expresses media in strongly positive terms
- Advent of new media has strengthened pluralism, as protest groups can effectively
disseminate information
Criticisms: Medias ideological marketplace tends to be relatively narrow and pro
establishment in character
2) Dominant Ideology Model:
-Mass media is politically conservative, aligned to the interests of economic and social
elites
-Media propagates bourgeoisie ideas and maintains capitalist hegemony, acting in the
interests of major corporations
-Noam Chomsky & Ed Herman (Manufacturing Consent): Discovered filters through
which news and political coverage are distorted by the structures of the media itself
-Analysis shows the extent to which mass media can subvert democracy
Critivisms: Underestimates the extent to which the press and broadcasters pay attention
to progressive social, racial issues
Assumption that media output shapes political attitudes is determinist and neglects the
role played by peoples own values in filtering and possibly resisting media messages
3) Elite Value Model:
- Focuses more on the mechanism through which media output is controlled rather than
the ownership of media corporations
-Editors, journalists enjoy significant professional independence (Media moguls can only
set a broad political agenda but can’t control day to day editorial decision making)
 Medias political bias reflects the values of groups that are disproportionately
represented amongst its senior professionals
-Anti socialist and politically conservatist views stem from the fact that senior
professionals are well paid and from middle class backgrounds
- Another view// Media reflects the views of university educated, liberal intellectuals
whose values and concerns are quite different from those of the mass population
 Feminist version: Predominance of males amongst senior journalists explaining
 Criticism: Fails to take into account the pressures on the senior journalists for ex (views,
interests of owners & ratings)
4) Market Model:
- Newspapers and television reflect rather than shape the views of the general public
- Media gives people what they want instead of stuff that they may disagree w
(Extending market share)
 Media, Democracy and Governance
1) Free Press: Newspapers that are free from censorship and political interference by
government, usually privately owned.

 Media Promoting Democracy:

- Fostering Public debate and political engagement
- Acting as a public watchdog to check abuses of power

 Reservations about the capacity of media to promote effective democratic

government
- Content of the media is tainted w clear political biases
- Mass media is not subject to public accountability (Power without responsibility)
- Reasons for doubting the independence of media from the government

 Political Bias: Political views that systematically favour the values or interests of one
group over another as opposed to ‘balanced’ or ‘objective’ beliefs.
- Partisan Bias: Explicitly and deliberately promoted
- Propaganda Bias: Deliberate but unacknowledged
- Unwitting Bias: Use of seemingly professional considerations
- Ideological Bias: Operates on the basis of assumptions and value judgements that are
embedded in a particular belief system.

 Chief way through which media has transformed political leadership is through
growing interest in the personal lives of political leaders

 Presidentialization: Growing emphasis on personal leadership, in line w the role and

powers of an executive president (Attempt to sell politics to people who are
uninterested)

 Celebrity Politics: Either or both the cultivation of ‘celebrityhood’ by elected politicians,

or interventions by stars of popular culture into the political domain.

 Spatial Leadership: Tendency of political leaders to distance themselves from their

parties and governments by presenting themselves as ‘outsiders’
- Presentation factors have become much more important in determining political
advancement
- Although media can help in flaunting the triumphs of political leaders @ the same
time their flaws can also be ruthlessly exposed

 Second impact- Medias impact on political culture

-Creation of a climate of corrosive cynicism, popular disenchantment w politics
 Third impact- Impact on the policy making progress
1) Government is bombarded w a much greater quantity of information arriving
almost immediately
// As news moves around at a faster pace, governments are forced to take action
urgently, often before they have been fully discussed and digested
2)