Teoretyczne i praktyczne aspekty mediatyzacji polityki w Niemczech

The article is an attempt of synthetic look on what the German studies on communication in the field of the mediatization of politics have accomplished. It consists of four parts. The first one touches upon terminological issues, since appearance of the two terms “mediatization” (Mediatisierung) and “medialization” (Medialisierung) is connected to different ways of understanding the relations between the sphere of politics and mass media. The second part analyzes positive and negative effects of the mediatization of politics in Germany. The third one justifies the meaning of the empirical research on this issue and presents the results of public opinion poll research concerning the relationship between the political and media elites. The last part examines the presence and the future of democracy in the context of the mediatization of politics.