POLITICAL COMMUNICATION

PREPARED
BY
IFEDAYO AKINWALERE, Ph.D
Introduction
Politics is the nerve centre
of modern society. It is
the major determinant of
the distributions of state
resources and power.

In classic Hasswell’s
conclusion: who gets
what, when, where and
how.
Introduction II
If it were left for me to decide
whether we should have a
government without newspaper or
newspapers without a government
should not hesitate a moment to
prefer the latter.-Thomas
Jefferson, Author of American
Declaration of Independence & 3 rd
American President).

Any law that inhibits freedom of

expression undermines democracy
and self-governance Johnson
(2018).
Definition of Politics I

Politics is one of the many sphere

communications operates in modern
society .From campaign arguments ,
political rhetoric and competing
ideologue, communication plays
critical role in building and
sustaining democratic society.

Politics is the process of who gets

what, when, & how. ( Lasswell,1948)

A political system can be designated

as those interactions through which
values are authoritatively allocated
for a society (David Easton)
Definition of Politics I

A political association exists if ... the

enforcement of its order is carried out
continually within a given territorial
area by the application and threat of
physical force.”( Max Weber )

A political system is any persistent

pattern of human relationships that
involves ... power, rule, or authority.“
( Robert Dahl )
Definition of Communication

• Communication is process of
exchanging information, imparting
ideas, and making oneself understood
by others. It also includes
understanding others in return (Seitel,
2011, p.78).
• Communication is any process in
which people share information, ideas
and feelings. It involves not only
spoken and written words but also
body language, personal mannerism
and styles-anything that adds meaning
to a message-anything that adds
meaning to a message. (Hybels &
Weavers,2011,p 11).
Definition of Communication

The process by which an individual

(the communicator) transmit stimuli
[verbal and non-verbal symbols) to
modify the behavior of other
individuals.(Hovland as cited in
Hassan,2013,p.2)

Communication refers to the process

of human beings sharing messages.
The messages might be entertainment,
information or persuasion; they might
verbal or visual, intentional or
unintentional.(Rodman,2006 p.6)

Essentially, communications can be

used to inform, deform, or reform
Communication as the Lifeblood of Politics

Communication is the nerve center of

human existence, the existentialism of
any society is hinged on communication.

The socio-cultural complexities of modern

society- Globalisation, fragmentation,
urbanization and digitization have made
communication more critical to survival
of democratic institutions.

The need for public news is the

cornerstone of democracy.

Life without data (internet connection) is

synonymous with as politics without
communication.
What is Political Communication I ?

Denton and Woodward(1990) defines

political communication as pure
discussion about the allocation of public
resources (revenues), official authority
(who is given the power to make legal,
legislative and executive decision), and
official sanctions (what the state rewards
or punishes (p. 14)

Graber (1981) Political communication is

political language which “comprises of
rhetoric as well as paralinguistic signs
such as body language, and political acts
such as boycotts and protests” ( as cited
on McNair 2011)
What is Political
Communication II ?
Political Communication is “ 1. All
forms of communication undertaken
by politicians and other political
actors for the purpose of achieving
specific objectives. 2 Communication
addressed to these actors by non-
politicians such as voters and
newspaper columnists. 3
Communication about these actors
and their activities, as contained in
news reports, editorials, and other
forms of media discussion of politics.
(McNair, 2011,p.4)
What is Political Communication II ?

Political communication is the

management of meaning, providing
perspective, to a particular worldview
among competing ideologies. Political
communication is a tool used for the
explanation and justification of a
political viewpoint.

Political communication is the

discursive interactions and
interpretations of political issues
among( tiers(federal, state, and local)
and organs( executive, legislature, and
judiciary) of government.
What is Political
Communication III ?
Political communication is
persuasive, directed at influencing
public opinion and support for a
particular cause or action.

Political communication is the tool,

means and process used for the
explanation and justification of
political viewpoint.

Political communication is the

management of media agenda in line
with the political agenda of an
interest group.
Political Communication
Environment

• Politics is a major arena for political

communication. Communication
aimed at informing, explaining and
persuading the public. On the flip
side, communication designed and
directed at manipulating the
emotions.
• Communication facilitates the over-
arching interface among internal
and external stakeholders in the
political environment. Democratic
societies overtly depends on reliable
and credible information for
decision making among often
competing and sometimes
conflicting political choices.
Political Communication
Environment II
In liberal democracy, freedom of
participation and civic engagement in the
democratic process requires unhindered
access to information(gathering, processing
and dissemination)

The images and metaphors of persuasive

communications are major tools employed
in political communication… Fashola’s ‘eko
onibaje’; Ambode’s ‘ itesiwaju eko’ Obama’s
‘Yes, we can’ of 2008 ,Trump’s ‘Make
America Great Again’ of 2016’,APC Change
of 2015 and Next Level of 2019 are
examples of some of the informational and
symbolic transfer of values deployed in
political communication drawing
similarities with marketing communication.
Stakeholders in Political Communication
Environment

• Electorates;
• media,
• political parties,
• electoral bodies;
• religious institutions;
• security agencies;
• civil societies;
• labour unions;
• trade associations;
• traditional institutions;
• International agencies(EU,UN,AU);
• organized private sector;
• business community;
• civil servants;
• Diplomatic Community;
• Organs of governments;
• Student Unions….
Features of Democracy

There are certain factors

that characterized
democratic society and
governance.
1.Constitutionalism
2.Free & fair elections
3.Periodic Elections
4.Independent Judiciary
5. Independent Electoral
Commission
6.Free & Impartial Press
7.Rule of Law
8.Obedience of Court
Orders
9. Political Education
10.Freedom of Choice
11.Fundamental Human
rights
12.Functional Party
System
13.Organised Civil Society
14.Active Intellectual
Community
Public role of Intellectuals.
The late Palestinian activist and American intellectual Edward
Said (2001:5) was explicit about the public role of the
intellectual as being ‘to uncover and contest, to challenge and
defeat both
an imposed silence and the normalized quiet of unseen power
wherever and whenever
possible’(p.4)
15.Student Unionism
16 Military & Security Agencies
Subservient to Civilian Authorities
Assignments

1. Creation of a blog
2. Production of an hour political
discussion programme on
multimedia platform)
3. Term paper on theories of
political communications
(10pages)
I. Agenda setting
II. Gate Keeping
III. Framing
IV. Spiral of silence
V. Narrative Theories
VI. Effects Theory

4. Post Ten tweets on any political issue

References

naijapolnews.