Information Media as a citizen Forum and Social Mobilizing Factor
Information Media as a citizen Forum and Social Mobilizing Factor

Summary/Abstract: The public sphere is envisioned as a place for meetings or a debate forum that allows for discussions based on qualified information regarding the most important issues at present and as a means of negotiation between citizens and the state. We'll start off the from assumption that the most general function of the information media as citizen forums is to serve as a channel that allows the governing bodies and the subjects being governed the opportunity to effectively communicate with one another. In that sence, information media represent the necessary link that connects horizontally political actors and vertically the same political actors with their voters. The central priority in this process needs to be given to the parties as the basic repersentative institutions where interests are united, candidates nominated and where collective responsibility is provided. Parties try to influence the headlines on the covers of newspapers as wll as on the main television news and thus reach "down" to the voters, by using in that process activities that would help them impose their own agenda onto the voters, such as holding press conferences, opportunities for taking photographs and professional techniques for political advertisement. In order for the opportunities arising with the elections to express the interests of the public, it is a equally important for the citisens to be able to voice their concerns and convey their preferences to the parties and the elected members of the Parliament "from up above". The role of the information media as a mobilizing factor assumes that journalists as well as the parties share the same responsibility for stimulating interest in public releations and the encouragement of different forms of involment of citizens. Citizens have many opportunities for political partcipation, from following the events during political campaigns up to the dicussing options with their friends and family, voting on the elections and referendums, engaging into party activities such as collection of donations and agitating, helping charities and citisen associations and employing "uncoventional" activities as direct action.

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