Media tycoons in politics

Abstract

Although there is a relatively wide literature of the success of new parties, of parties established by entrepreneurs, and of populist politicians, serious attention has not yet been drawn to the direct political engagement of persons with serious media empire (media tycoons). As case study or in other theoretical framework the cases of former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi or former Czech PM Andrej Babiš have been researched, but the media tycoons’ attempts to enter the politics has been unexplored. This research aims at answering the question whether the existence of an own media empire is enough to enter the politics, and if it is not, what other factors are needed to do that. To achieve this goal, this study invokes the literature of entrepreneur parties, emergence of new parties and populism, examining three cases: the above-mentioned Italian and Czech examples and the – unsuccessful – attempt of Michael Bloomberg American media tycoon. Its conclusion is that owning media empire eases but does not grant the successful career in politics, however, it is not necessary for somebody to enter the politics from the business sphere. In the success, the image of the candidate, their characteristic, often populist messages and public appearances play a much greater role.