What role can researchers play in connecting the public discussion on communication policy with the communication policy process?
My research examines a curious moment in Canadian communication policy: the 2004 federal election. This now forgotten political moment teaches communication scholars many lessons about how to connect the discussion of communication policy with the policy process. The main lesson is that communication scholars need to question their support of either cultural or corporate organizations in the policy process. Instead, interested scholars should directly engage politicians and political parties by reaching out to constituencies and citizen groups. With only 60.9% voter turnout, the 2004 election has the ignominious honour of having the lowest turnout in Canadian history. The explanation for this poor state of public interest was that there lacked any substantive political issue. Instead, it was largely an antagonistic campaign focusing more on emotions such as fear than actual policy. Occurring before the release of the Gomery Report, the news media with the help of the Liberal Party fram
