Communicative power shift? Legitimacy-building communications due to an arrest that mass media reported about

Citizens are in need of information to form an opinion about how society works. As a reviewer of the Public power the media plays an important role in a democratic society. The communicative power shift appears in contemporary media landscape, where technology offers great opportunities for actors to use their own channels to communicate their own image and thereby influencing power over the agenda. Alongside this, the number of communicators is increasing which makes power of resources affects the communicative whole picture. The study is based on a media profile case of the described assault and looks at what can happen strategic communicative at a police department when journalism offers a negative image. Aside from that it also examines questions about the role of authority and of media criticism authorities together with communicative power sharing. The Study is based on theories of power and legitimacy. Citizens have the expectation and perception of an organization's operations. This can be contrasted with the organization's actual actions and activities. If these two are far apart a gap of legitimacy appears which ultimately affects confidence in the organization. To bridge the legitimacy gap the organization can use legitimacy-building communication. Legitimacy building communications is a term established through this study. It is difficult to draw a clear line for it was acceptable in an agency's criticism of the media. Opinions differ greatly and ultimately it is about a matter of opinion and what lies in the eyes of the beholder.Program: Magisterutbildning i strategisk information och kommunikatio