Seriocomic Television: The Public Sphere À La Colbert Report
Seriocomic Television: The Public Sphere À La Colbert Report

Summary/Abstract: The article examines limitations of the predominant theorizing on the relationship among politics, popular culture and the mass media. It aims to set up landmarks for the meaningful extension of the idea of the public sphere by mapping political relevance of hybrid entertainment media genres based on the seriocomic mode of communication. Ambivalences of such communication are discussed to raise the argument that aesthetic elements do not preclude the cognitive and political value of seriocomic television discourse on the side of the viewers as citizens, and the issue asks for further research.

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