This editorial introduction examines whether public communication is in freefall. It argues that the main five functions of the media, as identified by Jay Blumler and Stephen Coleman (2015), are not being carried out satisfactorily. A number of structural and cultural changes to the political communication system combine to weaken its capacity to sustain a normatively healthy democratic relationship between citizens and representative governments. The authors outline six features of the contemporary media that characterize this weakened relationship, and argue that while the basic principles of political communication remain relevant, the methods and channels through which these principles are enacted must evolve. We would wish to see an agenda for change addressing the form, scale and values of the political public sphere. The introductory chapter also sets out the structure and chapter themes for the volume.