Yet, television is not infeodated to these institutions. In the ceremonial politics of modern democracies, it stands as a powerful partner whose mediation is necessary, given the scale of audiences. It is also a partner whose performance is controlled by professional standards. Thus, negotiations on the pertinence of an event, discussions on the nature of the script, the option of mocking or ignoring it distinguish democratic ceremonies from those of regimes where organizers control broadcasters and audiences. This last point is essential, given the organizational complexity of media events, the multiplicity of simultaneous performance involved.
Coordination is facilitated by the existence of major dramaturgical models or scripts.
Three such scripts can be identified. The script of Coronations is by no means exclusive to monarchic contexts. They invite ceremonial audiences to manifest their loyalty to these norms, and to the institutions that uphold them. Contests stress the turning points of the democratic curriculum. They celebrate the very existence of a forum open to public bate.