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148 | Norbert Merkovity and Büsra Özyüksel parties have a more substantial presence should be more familiar with the populist rhetoric. The populist messages may trigger widely available schemes of populist framing among these individuals. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, populism has been on the rise across Europe despite consolidated and strong democracies on the continent. As a distinct communication style, populism aims to reach out to people. Media is the most significant vehicle for populist leaders and news about them. The anti-hero nature of populist politicians resonates with the public. These politicians gain status with fundamental changes of the media environment and the toolbox of political communication, as described through the four periods above. Therefore, one can claim that the relationship between populism and the media points to much more than the skilful use of this latter by populist actors. We get a more nuanced perception of political communication in Europe if we start to examine actors’ communication. Connections are hidden in the details of the communication process. The advent of social networking sites has made it possible for politicians to communicate directly to a broader audience. However, when they do so, they use the codes of other successful actors, opening the ground for celebrity politicians. The logic in social media reaffirmed citizens’ need for simplified messages, which, in turn, has opened up new vistas for populist politics. Therefore, it is likely that populist political communication may dominate European political discourse in the period to come. Key concepts and terms Celebrity politicians Media logic Mediation Mediatisation Network logic Party logic Periods of political communication Political culture Populist political communication Self-mediatisation
