1st Edition
Political Entertainment in a Post-Authoritarian Democracy Humor and the Mexican Media
The book offers an analytical and empirical account of the specificities of political entertainment in post-authoritarian democracies.
Centered around Mexico as a case study, the book explores the production of political entertainment in post-authoritarian legacy media and how political and economic conditions constrain the range and edge of discourse; how political entertainment in social media is shaped by the structure of platforms, as creators are encouraged to conform to specific norms such as constant publication; and the impacts of these media on attitude formation among the population. The book proposes a theoretical framework for identifying the specific conditions of post-authoritarian democracies that constrain the production of political entertainment, as well as its outcomes in terms of content and effects. This framework can be applied to the analysis of similar case studies, particularly in the Global South at large.
With an analysis drawing on hard data, historical accounts, and anecdotal evidence, this volume will resonate within academic communities interested in political communication, media studies, transitional democracies, and popular culture.
1. Introduction: researching political entertainment in post-authoritarian democracies
PART I: Political entertainment in legacy media: historical and structural conditions
2. The historical development of political humor in Mexico
3. Potentials and limits of political satire on network television in Mexico
4. Political news as entertainment in Mexican media
PART II: Political entertainment in the digital age: producers and content
5. Political satire in the changing media landscape: a Mexican response to Jon Stewart?
6. Political entertainers in the Mexican YouTube sphere
PART III: Enhancing citizenship through laughing: reception and effects of political entertainment
7. Biting humor in the digital era: benefits and hindrances for citizens
8. Political humor and citizenship: effects of satire on democratic attitudes
9. Conclusion: distinctive features and explanations of political entertainment in Mexico
Biography
Martin Echeverría is Full Professor at the Center of Studies in Political Communication at the Autonomous University of Puebla, Mexico. His work has been published in the International Journal of Press/Politics, International Journal of Communication, Journalism Studies, Journalism Practice, Journal of International Communication and Communication & Society, as well as other leading Latin American journals. Co-Chair of the Political Communication Section of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR).
Frida V. Rodelo is Full Professor in the Department of Social Communication Studies at the University of Guadalajara, Mexico. Her work has been published in the International Journal of Communication, Television and New Media, Global Media and Communication, Cuadernos.info, and other leading journals in Communication Studies.
"If satire might be a universally global form of political talk, how is it reworked within local cultures? This book provides a marvelous exploration of that question. Utilizing mixed methods, the work is multi-faceted and sure to be of interest to anyone interested in satire, political entertainment, or Latin American politics. It's a brilliant example of how to approach globalized political entertainment in a specific, and complicated, national context."
Geoffrey Baym, Director, Doctoral Program in Media and Communication, Professor, Department of Media Studies and Production, Klein College of Media and Communication, Temple University.
