i i i i Innovations In Greek Political Communication And Consequences: Significant changes from 1981-2009 Anastasia Deligiaouri TEI of Western Macedonia, Greece E-mail:
[email protected] Abstract The introduction of new communicative the transition towards new communica- ethics in politics has imposed new proce- tive and political ethics. A study of ar- dures and values in politics. The close ticles from two newspapers provides use- inter-relation of media and politics has ful insights into the role of the media, es- many facets and effects on the way pol- pecially during electoral campaigns and itics is exercised and on how it is per- in politics in general. Our research also ceived by the citizens. This article in- reflects how the specific socio-political vestigates how new methods of politi- context of the country interferes and af- cal communication have been internal- fects the adoption of "imported" methods ized into Greek media democracy, divid- in political communication and how these ing the period from 1981 to the present methods affect citizens’ political behav- into five periods of media democracy ior. based on significant events that signaled Keywords: political communication, newspapers, citizens, “americanization”, media democracy, elections EDIA DEMOCRACY’ is the term which signifies - in the most vivid and ‘M succinct way - the close inter-connection between the media and pol- itics. Most of the current theoretical approaches allege that nowadays there is not only a strong connection between the media and politics but also that they overlap to such an extent that it is difficult to distinguish between them (the fusion or symbiosis model, see Meyer & Hinchman 2002:49-52).