Journalism and Politics

Book excerpt: Digital media have become an indispensable element of a growing number of human practices that depend on these platforms to a great extent. In consequence, they have been configured as central infrastructures in our lives, with the ability to shape society and politics. These technologies have changed how contemporary politics are performed. This affects the relationship between journalism and politics, which has always played a central role in democratic societies. It is essential for setting the agenda, defining social frames of problems and issues related to the public interest, promoting public debates, as well as shaping public opinion. The emergence of social media has led to many alterations in the communication environment and is redefining the power distribution between journalism and politics. We are immersed in a time characterized by the introduction of large-scale changes that alter what we have taken for granted. This book examines the processes that transform the relationship between journalism and politics in the digital landscape and the nature and consequences of this new scenario in political communication, democracy and society. Through 12 chapters, it explores the core values ​​of political journalism in the digital age, new communication formats and technological platforms for political actors, and the impact of the far right on communication and journalism. This collection of investigations offers an exciting and rigorous vision of one of the main transformations that our society is now facing.