A blind spot in theories of democracy

the media

Abstract

The article discusses different streams o f thought in democratic theory, from liberal to radical. Despite their visible central role in contemporary societies, the mass m edia tend to be ignored or disregarded by theories of democracy. This is true even in the case o f “deliberative dem o­crats,” who recognize the centrality o f discourse in political practice but overlook the neces­sary role of mediation mechanisms. The final section o f the article em phasizes the m edia’s importance in contemporary political systems. Chief source o f inform ation and the dissem i­nation of political discourses, the m edia today is the prime arena in the struggle for hegemony w ithin society.