出版社：Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies, University of Wales
摘要：Due to its historical watchdog and mediator function, journalism provides citizens direct access to the public sphere, in the form of diverse means of participation, ensuring that the voice of the people can be heard in the democratic process (McNair, 2009). In that context, writing letters to the editor is one of the existing vehicles for participation in the printed press, enabling the exchange of information, ideas and opinions between different groups of people, and thus providing a significant forum for public debate. Despite the continuing growth and omnipresence of electronic and digital media, and consequently more diverse forms of audience participation, newspapers (specifically the letters-to-the-editor page) remain an important site of contemporary public discourse (Gregory and Hutchins, 2004). Promoting citizens’ involvement in public life and, also, allowing readers to ‘‘talk back’’ to newspapers (Reader, 2001).
