Sunday, September 30, 2012
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Communications Go Surfacing
Communications is involved in EVERY stage of a political campaign. It is how candidates, voters and the media become involved in the campaign process.
The first political campaign stage is surfacing. Communication throughout this stage is crucial. Candidates have to speak to multiple publics, build political organizations, and fundraise to keep their campaign going all with the help of communicating. There are two communication functions, caliber and politcal rituals, that help indicate whether a candidate is a good choice for office.
There are five instrumental functions in the surfacing stage. The first is learning about the goals and political programs of a candidate. They also would speak about their intitial stance stance on a major issue. Communication is vital due to the fact that voters and whoever else would have no idea about that candidate. This instrumental function relates to the second with communicating. The second deals with developing voter expectations, both personally and administratively, and without learning about that candidate through communication the people would have no idea who to side with.
Communication is highly important in the development of determining main campaign issues, the third instrumental function. Main issue start and evolve all throughout cities, states, and the nation and without communication, those issues would not be well known or focused upon. It takes a whole country to communicate to have the candidates focus on issues, which is how they also recieve their fan base.
Selecting serious contenders, the fourth instrumental function, would not be possible without communication. Selecting serious contenders heavily relies on the media, which is the largest form of communication in the nation. The media determins how each candidate is viewed and broadcasts it through news, television, or the internet. These are all forms of communication. This also ties in with the fifth and final instrumental function, establishing candidate-media relationships. A relationship in itself relies on communication, without it the relationship would fail. The relationship between media and candidates is vital in larger races. Without that bond of communication between the two, the candidate would most likely not recieve attention and would fail in the campaign. The media would also lose attention from viewers and would fall behind in ratings. With the relationship between candidates and media AND the nation of people watchhing, communications proves to be a vital function in political campaigns.
The first political campaign stage is surfacing. Communication throughout this stage is crucial. Candidates have to speak to multiple publics, build political organizations, and fundraise to keep their campaign going all with the help of communicating. There are two communication functions, caliber and politcal rituals, that help indicate whether a candidate is a good choice for office.
There are five instrumental functions in the surfacing stage. The first is learning about the goals and political programs of a candidate. They also would speak about their intitial stance stance on a major issue. Communication is vital due to the fact that voters and whoever else would have no idea about that candidate. This instrumental function relates to the second with communicating. The second deals with developing voter expectations, both personally and administratively, and without learning about that candidate through communication the people would have no idea who to side with.
Communication is highly important in the development of determining main campaign issues, the third instrumental function. Main issue start and evolve all throughout cities, states, and the nation and without communication, those issues would not be well known or focused upon. It takes a whole country to communicate to have the candidates focus on issues, which is how they also recieve their fan base.
Selecting serious contenders, the fourth instrumental function, would not be possible without communication. Selecting serious contenders heavily relies on the media, which is the largest form of communication in the nation. The media determins how each candidate is viewed and broadcasts it through news, television, or the internet. These are all forms of communication. This also ties in with the fifth and final instrumental function, establishing candidate-media relationships. A relationship in itself relies on communication, without it the relationship would fail. The relationship between media and candidates is vital in larger races. Without that bond of communication between the two, the candidate would most likely not recieve attention and would fail in the campaign. The media would also lose attention from viewers and would fall behind in ratings. With the relationship between candidates and media AND the nation of people watchhing, communications proves to be a vital function in political campaigns.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Public vs. Publics
In "Public Judgment", author Gerard Hauser continuously mentions the public. Public problems, public consciousness, public opinions, public spheres, and even the title "Public Judgement" revolve around the public. Then there is Publics Theory which is used to help understand and critique rhetorical characteristics of public problems shape the publics form around them and the opinions they form.
WAIT... what's the difference between the public and publics?
The public would be the general population. It includes all citizens. The public does not have to involve themselves in politics, problems, discussions, etc. They simply exist, according to Hauser.
Publics, on the other hand, are ACTIVE. They are active in the community, in politics, in problems that are going to affect themselves and the people and community around them. Hauser also writes that publics EMERGE. They do not focus on one problem but on many, and they attempt to asses and help with the issues that arise. Being a part of a public also means one must have RHETORICAL COMPETENCE. Hauser believes that a close minded public would not be able to do its job completely. He lists that publics have to have characteristics like: receptivity, critical listening, OPEN-MINDEDNESS, inclusivity, and inventional skill. Those in publics must also be contingent thinkers.
The public is just the citizens while pubilcs are citizens in groups fighting to solve problems to benefit others.
WAIT... what's the difference between the public and publics?
The public would be the general population. It includes all citizens. The public does not have to involve themselves in politics, problems, discussions, etc. They simply exist, according to Hauser.
Publics, on the other hand, are ACTIVE. They are active in the community, in politics, in problems that are going to affect themselves and the people and community around them. Hauser also writes that publics EMERGE. They do not focus on one problem but on many, and they attempt to asses and help with the issues that arise. Being a part of a public also means one must have RHETORICAL COMPETENCE. Hauser believes that a close minded public would not be able to do its job completely. He lists that publics have to have characteristics like: receptivity, critical listening, OPEN-MINDEDNESS, inclusivity, and inventional skill. Those in publics must also be contingent thinkers.
The public is just the citizens while pubilcs are citizens in groups fighting to solve problems to benefit others.
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