Media Democracy

Abstract

The term “media democracy” insinuates that the media and mediated communication are of central relevance for modern democracies due to their decisive influence on (or consequences for) political institutions (macro level) and political actors (meso level) as well as individual citizens (micro level). Theoretically associated with the media democracy concept is the notion of a “media society.” This idea implies that traditional mass media, as well as the new online media, are pervading all spheres of society and social life and have thus become the central precondition of exchanges and interactions among individuals and organizations of society (Jarren & Donges 2006; → Mediatization of Society).