ABSTRACT
Thus far I have discussed the political media in terms of their functions of reportage, interpretation and interrogation. In each of these contexts, journalists in a liberal democracy are called upon to stand between political actors and the public, mediating between the two groups in ways which are, overall, intended to be beneficial for the political process. Throughout this mediation of the political process the public is present only as an abstract, imagined audience, receiving information about and analysis and interpretation of events in the political sphere as a support for attitudeforming and decision-making. Through political interviews, as we have seen, citizens are able to evaluate politicians’ performances under interrogatory pressure.
