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In the thousand-channel universe, politicians must find innovative ways to reach citizens via television. Viewership for news and current affairs television programs has dropped dramatically. Meanwhile, the rise of programming that blends information with entertainment – infotainment – on Canadian television, especially in Quebec, has provided an opportunity for today’s politicians to use it to their advantage. But their appearances on these programs also fuel concerns over the declining authority of journalism in the public sphere. Breaking News? traces the development of infotainment and exposes the impact of these kinds of programs on modern political communication. Frédérick Bastien lays out the issues raised by the eroding influence of existing news gatekeepers and the implications of infotainment for politicians, journalists, and citizens, while arguing that infotainment ultimately makes a positive contribution to democratic life by piquing the audience’s interest in public affairs and motivating it to pay more attention to political news in general.
Changes in technology and media consumption are transforming the way people communicate about politics. Are they also changing the way politicians communicate to the public? Political Communication in Canada examines the way political parties, politicians, interest groups, the media, and citizens are using new tactics, tools, and channels to disseminate information, and also investigates the implications of these changes. Drawing on recent examples, contributors review such things as the branding of the New Democratic Party, how Stephen Harper’s image is managed, and politicians’ use of Twitter. They also discuss the evolving role of political journalism, including media coverage of politics and how Canadians use the Internet for political discussions. In an era when political communication – from political marketing to citizen journalism – is of vital importance to the workings of government, this timely volume provides insight into the future of Canadian democracy.
In this enterprising new text, Ted Glenn equips fledgling public sector communications professionals with the information they need to be successful in their new roles. Leveraging his years of experience in this growing field, Glenn discusses how to present policy goals to different audiences and tailor messages to their needs, write gripping speeches, and use digital media in a world where one ill-phrased tweet can sink a career. Chapters are enriched with activities that walk students through the many responsibilities of public service professionals and encourage them to think strategically in quickly evolving situations. Professional Communications in the Public Sector is indispensable reading for students of public administration, communications, policy studies, media studies, and advertising.
Substantially revised throughout, Political Marketing second edition continues to offer students the most comprehensive introduction to this rapidly growing field. It provides an accessible but in-depth guide to what political marketing is and how it is used in practice, and encourages reflection on how it should be used in the future. Features and benefits of the second edition: New chapters on political branding and delivery marketing; Expanded discussion of political public relations, crisis management, marketing in the lower levels of government and volunteer-friendly organizations; Examination of the new research on emerging practices in the field, such as interactive and responsive lea...
The fifth edition of Canadian Parties in Transition continues and enriches the work of earlier editions in bringing together a highly respected group of scholars to offer a comprehensive account of the development of party politics in Canada. The book addresses the origin and the evolution of the Canadian party system and discusses how that system has been impacted by regionalism, brokerage politics, and political marketing. It focuses on the competing ideological currents that occupy the political stage while also paying attention to the role of third parties in federal politics. Contributors address the representation and democracy through an exploration of voting systems, direct democracy...
This book considers the impact that the increasing number of LGBQ politicians in Canada has had on the political representation of LGBTQ people and communities. Based on analysis of parliamentary speeches and interviews with 28 out LGBQ parliamentarians in Canada between 2017 and 2020, Tremblay shows how out LGBQ MLAs and MPs take advantage of their intermediary position between the LGBTQ movement and the state to represent LGBTQ people and communities. For example, the politicians in this study introduce pro-LGBTQ bills, lobby cabinet ministers, act as a bridge between LGBTQ groups and the civil service, and give talks in schools about their identities. Most importantly, they act as role models for LGBTQ people (particularly children and teens) and contribute to lifting the social stigma around sexuality and gender identity. This latest volume in our Sustainable Development Goals series underlines that SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) can only be accomplished with political representation for the LGBTQ community and minority groups in general.
Canada is often held up as an example of a healthy democracy. However, the Canadian public is less enthusiastic about the way our democracy works. This first-of-a-kind book approaches the “democratic deficit” from the perspective of everyday Canadians and assesses the performance of Parliament and the media in light of their perceptions and expectations. In doing so, a number of chapters highlight the disjuncture between perceptions and performance. Canadian Democracy from the Ground Up is essential for anyone who would like to learn how to build a better democracy – one that meets the expectations of the Canadian public.
Citizens are at the heart of any meaningful definition of democracy. So what does it say about the health of Canadian democracy when fewer citizens are exercising their right to vote and party membership rolls are shrinking? Is an increasingly well-educated citizenry turning away from traditional electoral politics in search of more meaningful forms of democratic engagement? Or is an ever-wider swathe of Canadian society simply disengaging from politics altogether? This volume draws on a rich array of public opinion data to determine how engaged Canadians are in the country's democratic life and which Canadians are most -- and least -- engaged. Comparisons are made across generations and edu...
Much time has been spent over the past decade debating whether social media contribute to democracy. Drawing on an original study of internet users across nine Western democracies, Outside the Bubble offers an unprecedented look at the effects of social media on democratic participation. This book argues that social media do indeed increase political participation in both online and face-to-face activities--and that they expand political equality across Western democracies. In fact, Cristian Vaccari and Augusto Valeriani find that, for the most part, social media do not constitute echo chambers or filter bubbles as most users see a mixture of political content they agree and disagree with. V...
The increased use of digital politics by citizens, groups, and governments over the last 25 years carried the promise of transforming the way politics and government was practiced. This book looks at Canadian political practice and the reality of the political process against those early promises.