Critical Review on Mcnair chapter 2 from his An Introduction to Political Commun - Essay Example

He has considered three elements to be important for the establishment of democracy which include rational choice, constitutionality and participation. The author has also discussed the importance of public opinion by calling it a ‘public sphere’ and considered it the collective thoughts and opinions of people about political leaders. Lastly, the book highlights the role of media in the process of political communication. The chapter two of the book ‘Politics, democracy and media’ vividly explains the three features of politics, media and democracy with respect to political communication process.

The author has identified several aspects that make up the democratic process. The first among the three elements of a democratic regime is constitutionality which is known as the set of rules and procedures that explain the election process and the conduct of people participating in the process. The second element is participation which represents the number of people that have been legally permitted to vote. For instance, the segments of people that have been bestowed with the right to vote are considered to be eligible to participate in voting process.

It means that the societies that have deprived its majority of people from a giving a right to vote are not democratic in its essence. The third factor explaining the democratic process is rational choice which includes not only having the right of choosing between the two political parties but also exerting the right as well. The chapter two of McNair’s book explains another important aspect with respect to political communication which is public opinion. McNair defines public opinion as the private thoughts and opinions of general public regarding the political processes surrounding their country.

It is believed to be an important characteristic of a democratic process that it taken into consideration the public opinion of people as manifested by the vote they cast in a collective manner favoring one political party. In other words, a democratic government comes into being as a result of the votes given to them by the majority of people in a country representing their public opinion. The author has used the term public sphere for public opinion also which means the arena of social life that gives rise to the formation of public opinion.

The book gives a comprehensive understanding of another significant factor playing its part in the democratic process; media. There are five major characteristics of an effective media that is characteristic of a democratic process. Firstly, the media should be able to truly inform the citizens of a country about what is happening around them. It implies explaining the role of media as the force monitoring the activities of a society. Secondly, the media has an educative role that explains the facts of the society by making the people aware of the meanings of various things occurring around them.

Thirdly, the media is said to be playing an important role in forming public opinion by providing them with information about the opinions of general public through the platform of media. Fourthly, the media publicizes the part that governmental and public institutions are playing in the interest of general public. For instance, media has been playing an important role in highlighting scandals of various corporations and political organizations thus enabling the citizens to form an opinion for or against them.

It hints on the objectivity of media that does not rely on biases and prejudiced