ABSTRACT
The media plays a central role in modern democracies and, in particular, the work of journalism can help democracy to thrive by providing information to the public that is objective, fair and impartial. Separately, successful political communication strategies assist politicians to win public support for their arguments, and ultimately assist in securing power where policies can be implemented. This chapter examines the relationship between the media and the political system in Ireland. It starts by briefly examining some of the arguments about the media and democracy. This section is followed by an overview of the media sector in Ireland, including current regulatory arrangements. The subsequent section examines the role of media in parliament, with a focus on political journalism and the government communication system. The final section focuses on media and elections, not just with regard to coverage of campaigns but also the increased prominence of social media in campaign strategies as a means to potentially mobilise voters.
