ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the political contexts of media, which are often also economic. It begins by considering representation as a political act in the case of Benefits Street, who was heavily criticised for using poverty as light entertainment. The political power of media in everyday life and the political character of media production are also discussed. This leads to large-scale discussions about the media as a political tool and specifically who does and should have power and control of it. This includes discussion around arguments about The Culture Industry (Adorno) and Chomsky’s idea of Manufacturing Consent. The public sphere is then addressed in a section that couples media with democracy before a case study addresses the so-called Arab Spring, where social media allegedly became a political tool. Finally, the chapter considers political drama and satire and the representation of politicians.
