ABSTRACT
Deliberative democracy, in contrast to procedural or formal democracy, is based upon the idea that the people should form and exercise their will through reasoned, informed debate in the public sphere (Calhoun, 1992; Habermas, 1984, 1989). While the notion of citizens freely exchanging ideas and reaching consensus through deliberation is appealing in principle, it is rather problematic in its practical enactment in conditions current in Western democracies. First, issues on the public agenda are complex, require specialised knowledge and access to reliable information and evidence. Second, public discourse is rarely conducted in face-to-face encounters; rather, it is mediated by print and broadcast journalism, which play a critical role in shaping the public agenda, informing debate and giving voice to participants (Page, 1996).
