Mass Media and Political Decision-Making: Analyzing Mediatization in Switzerland

Cover -- 1. Introduction: Politics and Mass Media -- 1.1. Setting the Stage -- 1.2. What this Thesis Addresses -- 1.3. Outline of the Thesis -- 2. Mediatization of Politics: Literature, Concepts, and Context -- 2.1. Mediation: The Mass Media as a Channel of Information -- 2.1.1. Political Communication in a Mediated Society -- 2.1.2. Mediation: The Media as a Neutral Channel? -- 2.2. Mediatization: The Mass Media as an Institutional Actor -- 2.2.1. Logics of the Mass Media -- 2.2.2. Logics of Politics -- 2.2.3. Globalization, Mediatization and Policy Decision-Making Processes -- 2.3. Context: The Political and the Media Systems in Switzerland -- 2.3.1. The Swiss Political System: Decision-Making Structures and Processes -- 2.3.1.1. Political Decision-Making Structures -- 2.3.1.1.1. The Government: Executive Power Sharing -- 2.3.1.1.2. The Parliament: Bicameralism and Multiple Parties -- 2.3.1.1.3. Polarization in a Multi-Party System -- 2.3.1.2. The Political Decision-Making Process -- 2.3.2. The Media System in Switzerland -- 2.3.2.1. Structural Aspects of the Media System in Switzerland -- 2.3.2.2. Transformation of the Swiss Media System -- 2.4. Summary: Mediatization in Switzerland? -- 3. Research Design: Analyzing the Mediatization of Political Decision-Making -- 3.1. Mediatization of Media Content and Political Actors -- 3.1.1. Mediatization and Media Effects Research -- 3.1.2. Mediatization and Level and Types of Political Conflict -- 3.2. Expectations for the Mediatization of Media Content -- 3.2.1. Expectations for the Coverage of Political Conflict -- 3.2.2. Expectations for the Coverage of Political Actors -- 3.2.2.1. Members of the Government and Members of Parliament -- 3.2.2.2. Center-Right and Pole Parties -- 3.2.2.3. Party Leaders, Committee Members, Seniority.