partypolitical

Partypolitical, also written as party-political, is an adjective used to describe content that is connected with a political party and aims to promote its policies, candidates, or electoral interests. It encompasses campaign speeches, party advertisements, broadcasts produced by the party, and other communications issued by party committees or allied organizations. The term is used in journalism, political science, and media law to distinguish partisan materials from nonpartisan information or general political discourse.

In practice, partypolitical content is often subject to regulatory and ethical norms designed to ensure transparency and fairness. In many democracies, broadcasters may have restricted time for party-political broadcasts, require equal airtime among major parties, or mandate clear identification of sponsors. Online platforms may require disclosures for paid partisan advertising and may apply different rules to state-funded media, public broadcasters, or recommendation algorithms.

With the growth of digital media, partypolitical activity extends beyond traditional outlets to social media accounts, targeted online ads, and grassroots online campaigns. This expansion raises concerns about transparency, manipulation, and the difficulty for voters to assess the provenance and funding of messages. Researchers study partypolitical messaging to understand how parties frame issues and mobilize supporters.

See also: party politics, political advertising, partisanship.