Politikų ir visuomenės komunikavimas žiniasklaidos priemonėmis šeimos politikos srityje
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN POLICY MAKERS AND SOCIETY IN MEDIA ON FAMILY POLICY ISSUES

Summary/Abstract: Decisions in public policy are not an end in themselves: in general, they are intended to regulate society, i.e. members of society are submitted with particular rights, obligations, possibilities, restrictions, etc. However, in order to know which decisions will reach their addressees best and will allow attaining the result sought, it is necessary for policy makers to know how the society and particular addressees are ready to accept them. Especially this is acute in the field of family policy: here, the decision on family policy instruments is important and may be effective only when it is accepted by families/individuals (especially speaking about instruments aimed at increase of fertility). The article is based on a presumption that communication between policy makers and the society is of a great importance seeking for a purposive public policy. The article is composed of two main parts. The first part presents theoretical background for analysis of communication between decision makers and society in the field of family policy. First, it develops the main characteristics of communication models between policy makers and society in general; highlights possible role of media in different models of the mentioned communication, and, finally, it lists peculiarities in connection with a particular topic of political communication, i.e. communication on the issues of family policy. The second part seeks to disclose the nature and main characteristics of communication between politics and society on the family policy issues in Lithuania. To this end, the article presents a media content analysis covering almost 1000 publication in the most popular internet news website in Lithuania on two issues directly related to family policy: economic and social situation of families with 3 and more children and economic and social guarantees for families with children. The analysis showed that media plays an active role in this communication procedure, as well although the platform for discussions between policy makers and society is created, the proposals submitted on the part of society are usually unsubstantiated, and the policy makers most often only present information to society without any willingness to hear its opinion on particular issues.

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