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2nd international SEMINAR MEDIA, JOURNALISM AND DEMOCRACY"Journalism and Acts of Democracy"Organized by CIMJ - Centro de Investigação Media &#38; JornalismoNovember 13th and 14th, 2006Escola Superior de Comunicação Social - Instituto Politécnico de LisboaLisbon, PortugalHow do the news media report the central events of Portuguese democracy? To what extent do the news reports on political actors speeches are influenced by market strategies or other factors unfamiliar to the journalistic compromise of informing? How important are production routines, as well as journalistic and professional criteria to the materialization of those reporting acts?Following several studies that suggest a broad detachment of citizens towards political activity, Portuguese news media have been accused in the last decade of playing a part in this detachment and of contributing to the discredit of democracy itself.Politicians often point out that journalists personalize and dramatize the reports on political activities, ignoring ideas and points of view and privileging trivial features. As for the journalists, politicians remain the main cause of citizen's indifference and cynicism towards politics and the politicians.To discuss this complex reality is the objective of the 2nd International Seminar Media, Journalism and Democracy. Empirical research carried out within the framework of the project "Journalism and Acts of Democracy", supported by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, on the media coverage of electoral campaigns, partisan conventions and Prime Minister's end of mandate periods, and a study on the published opinion are intended to be the starting point for this debate.See other details at CIMJ. 