Η επικοινωνιακή διάσταση της πολιτικής : η διαμόρφωση του κομματικού σκηνικού υπό την κυριαρχία των ΜΜΕ στον δημόσιο χώρο

Abstract

The article focuses on the impact of communication in the partisan field in the light of two processes that determine the relationship between media and political parties. The first process is extroversive: the debate on “mediatization” and “professionalization” of politics leads us to focus on the way that Greek political parties exploit communication skills of professionals outside the party structures. The weakening of partisan structure and the empowerment of leadership groups, led to the emergence of political experts substituting, especially during electoral periods, certain basic organizational and executive functions of political parties. The second process is introversive: the use of communication resources within party structures. More specifically, we focus on a. the emergence of informal leadership communication groups with increasing activity in setting the daily political strategy of the parties, b. the partial renewal of the political personnel and the choice on key political positions of persons who draw their capital from communication skills and, finally, c. the transformations of program policy of political parties and the transition towards a more “mediated” agenda. We, finally, pose the question on the effects of these processes on the autonomy of the partisan field.