The Definition of Media Reality and Communication in the Context of the Theory of the Political Construction of Reality

The author's theory, continuing the tradition of social phenomenology, addresses political phenomena and emphasizes that reality is politically constructed. It means that the political power has a creative potential and acts as a constructor of reality. However, political power requires the media; therefore, the communicative aspect begins to play not only a connecting role but also an essential one. Political being depends on sign exchange: the political world is perceived as a subjective semantic world, secondary socialization is organized in the form of inclusion of symbolic meanings into the world of an individual, the political power is maintained as a communicative construct, etc. More importantly, one constructs a politically legitimate world, in which it is the "correct" political reality that becomes a world which "means". According to the theory of the political construction of reality, communication should be understood phenomenologically - it is the political power that is concerned about understanding meanings and that offers interpretative frames. Based on the political-constructivist scientific approach the author developed, a political media reality is defined in the article. Firstly, it is an artificial mediator between a person and political institutions. The person perceives media images and completed political constructions, discovers, evaluates and represents the political order. Therefore, a media reality is both a reality created by the media and a medium. Secondly, this is a sign and symbolic space, it was politically and purposefully developed to affect the political consciousness of society. The influence lies in the fact that this reality is perceived as the actual reality. The term "media reality" means the quality of being inherent in the media phenomena. Thirdly, a media reality simulates, virtualizes and acts as a kind of a hyperreality, without representing authentic being. Political power as a mediacracy constructs a political media reality through modeling. In this reality, the archetype and the proto-model is a mythic-and-heroic scheme that determines the main political roles, the hero and the antagonist, sets the scenario (the hero's path and the punishment of evil), develops the essence of the political reality starting with the making of the image of the foe. The myth model relates to the media agenda model that contributes to the development of nodes in political communication (these nodes allow discussing "topics" and forming "public"). However, the postmodern political communication forms a "new media reality", a certain cult of communication regardless of semantic consensus. Politics is deconstructed: semantic frames do not find an adequate replacement and signs are not re-signified. Currently, a discussion of political brands provides a communication alternative to the erosion of meanings.

Keywords

Authors

References