ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with the concept of the public sphere, which is theoretically perceived as a social and political space that gathers the public and engages with socially, culturally and politically critical discussions. The Habermasian concept of the public sphere remains central and relevant to media studies as a theoretical concept to study media spaces where perspectives and opinions are negotiated. The public sphere is defined more specifically as a shared social space where public citizens can engage in discussions and upon deliberation, arrive at a consensus that benefits common social and public good. An understanding of the mediated public sphere first requires working knowledge of the institutional structure that determines the way it produces and constructs discourses. This institutional structure is seen as a combination of media processes and editorial decisions that influences the type of public assembled, their level of participation, the contribution of their opinions and the discourses formed.
