Times are changing

This chapter unpacks the changing media landscape and the new opportunities for political involvement. It focuses on the generational perspective in understanding the relationship between media use and political involvement. The supply side of political information has changed. Research spanning decades shows that the supply of news has increased in traditional media like television and newspapers, with more free newspapers entering the market. As citizens’ opportunity structure—in terms of both political information supply and demand—has changed so too have patterns of political participation. Generally speaking, the empirical study of political participation is of continuous importance since it is an indicator of the quality of democracy. The chapter also focuses on differences regarding media consumption and the type and level of participation as well as how media exposure affects participation and vice versa. It also presents an overview on the key concepts discussed in this book.