Political Pluralism in the Media

Abstract

The study of media pluralism indicators presented in this book has sought to develop a methodology for the effective analysis of several domains, including political pluralism in the media (KU Leuven — ICRI et al., ‘EU MPM Study’ 2009). In this chapter we will first place the notions of political and media pluralism in their broader theoretical and historical context. The underlying premise is that political pluralism, including in the media sector, cannot be successfully considered or assessed in isolation. It is a product of the dominant power relations and the economic system in which it occurs, and is therefore influenced by a number of interacting social and economic factors. To be able to monitor it, we must first understand the underpinning structures and then develop the methodology that will take into account the workings of the underlying factors rather than concentrate on its results.