Media Malaise and Political Cynicism

Media malaise is one of the most popular and most controversial concepts in political communication research. At its core is the observation that citizens have become more cynical and distrustful of politicians and the political process as a whole and that political participation is on the decline. This is partly blamed on the news media's presentation of politics as a game or contest in which strategy becomes more important than substantial issues. Media malaise theory claims that such coverage results in widespread political cynicism that turns citizens off. This claim has been fiercely contested, with researchers stressing that media might well mobilize citizens politically or arguing that citizens might well become more cynical but not necessarily less engaged. Evidence is mounting to support both sides of the debate, which emphasizes the need to add further nuance and to spell out the exact conditions and processes behind such effects.