ON THE WAY TO AUDIENCE REPRESENTATION: MEDIATIZATION OF POLITICS AND NEW CHALLENGES FOR DEMOCRACIES AND AUTOCRACIES
Political consequences of new media regimes are extensively discussed among political communication scholars. The majority of extant attempts to elaborate theoretical models are focused on liberal democracies. We address the issue to what extent these consequences are different in liberal democracies and authoritarian regimes? This gap in knowledge undermines empirical research on media effects under authoritarianism. Based on Bernard Manin’s idea of audience democracy, we clarify key differences in its consequences for liberal democracies and authoritarian regimes. While in liberal democracies it challenges extant political institutions and practices, in authoritarian regimes it provides new opportunities for political and civic participation.