Rynek, mass media i widowisko społeczne

ENThe article deals with the relationships between mass-media, especially advertising and public relation firms, and politics under market conditions and commodify ing impulses. The main argument is that mass-media as politically and economically powerful mediator between public and politicians act as strong commodifying force. One function of this force is to commodify public and to sell this good to advertisers and public relation firms. Second function is to strengthen the buying and selling relations in the sphere of public politics. The analysis of consumer society' is based on the notion of society of spectacle because the representations and images are special commodities and at the same time powerful means of politics. Thus we can speak about political commodities and political marketing. These concept of market and market society forces us to think about the possibilities of transparent political processes within democratic constraints and of responsibility of politicians who act as popular entertainment figures. Keywords: advertising, commodification, consumer society, entertainment, mass-media, politics, propaganda, representation, simulation, society of spectacle, transparency.