Public Critique by Journalists and Politicians as a Process of Democratic Legitimization

This theoretical article takes a fresh look at the relationship between journalists and politicians, based on the public critique they level at each other. It proposes that this critique should be seen not simply as the expression of reproaches between rival actors, but as a meaningful metadiscursive articulation. Public critique means, for example, defining journalism, politics, democracy, or a particular context in which the relationship between journalists and politicians takes place. Above all, public critique is part of a process of legitimization that involves journalists and politicians, who are increasingly mistrustful of institutions. Associated with the public arena, public critique is also a tool for understanding new democratic dynamics driven by noninstitutional actors (citizens’ movements or alternative media) that challenge the legitimacy of journalists and politicians.