Reconsidering the Nomos in Today’s Media Environment

Today’s media landscape is wholly unlike that which existed when Cover first discussed narrative and the nomos; specifically, the status of television as both a cultural messenger and object of scholarly study has changed significantly. Accordingly, this article contemplates narrative in the contemporary media environment, specifically, television as an essential source of narratives. To enhance understandings of the roles television narratives play and which narratives play a role, this article employs an empirical perspective. Surveying Media Theory, it outlines research on television effects, including when and why television’s representations of law can impact audience attitudes, behaviors, perceptions, knowledge, and judgements.

It then summarizes and explores recent changes in the media environment – digital platforms and streaming content, unprecedented audience selectivity and fragmentation, cable news differentiation, and Twitter – and considers what impacts these have on audiences and the nomos.