Political commentary is the discussion, critique and analysis of political events, policies, leaders and ideologies. It can take the form of news articles, opinion pieces in newspapers and magazines, talk shows or podcasts, and social media posts. It can also incorporate humor and satire (e.g., late-night comedy shows and editorial cartoons). Political commentary can be an important tool for democracy by promoting civic engagement and critical thinking. However, it can also be biased or misleading, so it is crucial to analyze and evaluate political commentary critically.
There are different schools of political commentary, ranging from empiricism/positivism to interpretivism. Empirical/positivist political commentators seek to explain a political phenomenon by describing its causes, while interpretivist political commentators explore how political conditions create specific types of political phenomena. For example, an empirist might argue that tax reduction legislation resulted in increased social inequality, while an interpretivist might seek to understand the economic and cultural forces that led to the rise of entrepreneurship as a dominant ideology.
Historically, the most influential forum for political commentary has been the print and broadcast media. Newspaper op-eds, radio and television talk shows, and political podcasts provide platforms for politicians, columnists, and experts to share their opinions on current events. Political commentary also occurs in the form of letters to the editor and social media posts. More recently, the global growth of the commentary function in media systems has been attributed to declining trust in journalists in advanced democracies, which has encouraged them to assume a more critical and analytical reporting role.