The book explores the complex interconnections between media, political organisation and society. This is particularly important in a period when politics seems to be in crisis. This 'crisis' can be seen in problems of trust affecting political institutions and politicians, the apparently widespread political cynicism and apathy of audiences and citizens, and the perception that processes of globalisation are undermining the bases of contemporary democracy and public discussion. Old cherished views and ideals seem dead and there appears to be no clear vision of the future. This pessimistic view has been expressed, most cogently and explicitly, in the 'end of politics' thesis. Rather than taking this view the book investigates in detail how the use of media and new technology affects politics and how the consequences vary across national societies and regions. It focuses in particular on the way new technology poses problems, but also offers potentialities and solutions, for political actors of all sorts. To this end particular attention is paid to various political uses of the internet. The book closely analyses how political parties, pressure groups, governments and social movements explore and develop the range of media forms and rhetorics and assesses the aggregate consequences this has for political life. The book argues that key versions of the 'end of politics' thesis are simply too pessimistic about what we can hope for from the future and imply an unrealistic nostalgia about the past. Rather it puts the media-politics relationship into the broader context of a culturally complex and changing contemporary information society..

"For anyone interested in the relationship between politics and mass media, this is a key book. Neil Washbourne combines a compendious knowledge of modern forms of communication with an astute and sophisticated analysis of contemporary politics. Mediating Politics is theoretically subtle and empirically detailed, offering a new perspective on a vital topic." Professor John Street, University of East Anglia, UK "In the vast field that political communication has become Neil Washbourne's book stands out... Admirable and helpful work for both students and scholars new to the topic."Professor Liesbet van Zoonen, Erasmus University, Rotterdam How is politics reported in the media? How does the relationship between the media and political organizations affect the political messages that are conveyed? How do members of the public access and make sense of political messages? This book critically analyses the complex relationship between media and politics, beginning with a discussion of what is meant by the mediating of politics. The author outlines the ways in which political messages are formulated, broadcast and received, as well as examining the ways in which the media and political organisations are linked to one another. The author also analyses the relationship between the media and: Globalisation De-regulation of the media Apathy of audiences Illustrated throughout with case studies from the US, UK and from across the world, the book also explores: Celebrity politicians How different national media systems encourage (or discourage) political engagement How young people engage with the media and politics How the Internet has affected the organization of politics and news media Mediating Politics is key reading for media, communication, cultural and political studies students.

For successful political leaders, public speaking is only half the battle. A good politician must also be a competent performer. Whether facing critical questions in an interview, posturing in a leaders’ debate, or conversing on a daytime chat show, success is reliant upon a candidate’s ability to dramatically but authentically impart a strong individual identity. In this innovative analysis, Geoffrey Craig looks at the interrogative exchanges between politicians and journalists. The power struggles and evasions in these encounters often leave the public exasperated, but it is the politicians’ negotiation of these struggles that determines success. Drawing on analyses of the language and performances of leaders such as Barack Obama and David Cameron, Craig examines the particular kinds of interactions that occur across political interviews, debates, conferences, and talk shows. The political games that take place between politicians and journalists, he argues, constitute the true theatre of politics. Engaging and insightful, Performing Politics will appeal to students and scholars of journalism, politics, linguistics, and media studies, as well as anyone concerned about the quality of contemporary political communication.

Black & white print. American Government 3e aligns with the topics and objectives of many government courses. Faculty involved in the project have endeavored to make government workings, issues, debates, and impacts meaningful and memorable to students while maintaining the conceptual coverage and rigor inherent in the subject. With this objective in mind, the content of this textbook has been developed and arranged to provide a logical progression from the fundamental principles of institutional design at the founding, to avenues of political participation, to thorough coverage of the political structures that constitute American government. The book builds upon what students have already learned and emphasizes connections between topics as well as between theory and applications. The goal of each section is to enable students not just to recognize concepts, but to work with them in ways that will be useful in later courses, future careers, and as engaged citizens. In order to help students understand the ways that government, society, and individuals interconnect, the revision includes more examples and details regarding the lived experiences of diverse groups and communities within the United States. The authors and reviewers sought to strike a balance between confronting the negative and harmful elements of American government, history, and current events, while demonstrating progress in overcoming them. In doing so, the approach seeks to provide instructors with ample opportunities to open discussions, extend and update concepts, and drive deeper engagement.

This book makes an important contribution to the study of political communication. Its chapters analyse forms of media talk associated with contemporary political elections. Key topics include: changing forms of political interview, televised political debates, and the use of multimedia in promotional discourse.

In a society saturated by mass media, from newspapers and magazines, television and radio, to digital video projects and the Internet, iPods and TiVo, most students possess a great deal of media knowledge and experience before they ever enter the classroom. What they often lack, however, is a broader framework for understanding the relationship between media and society. Media/Society: Industries, Images, and Audiences provides that context and helps students develop skills for critically evaluating both conventional wisdom and onee(tm)s own assumptions about the social role of the media. Previous editions of Media/Society introduced thousands of students to a sociologically informed analysis of the media process. The Fourth Edition builds on this success with new material on students as producers (e.g., YouTube), revised Internet resources, the latest data on the media industry, new examples from the independent media sector, and updated discussions of media policy, online media, and independent media. Media/Society is unique among media texts in that it offers: e A sociological approach that examines overarching relationships between the various components of the media process - the industry, its products, audiences, technology - and the broader social world e An integrated study of mass media that looks at media technologies, collective influences, and connections between mass media issues that are often treated as separate e An examination of how economic and political constraints affect the media and how audiences actively construct their own interpretations of media messages

The Dictionary of Media and Communication Studies has provided students and the general public alike with a gateway into the study of intercultural communication, public relations and marketing communications since 1984. In this 9th edition, James Watson and Anne Hill provide a detailed compendium of the different facets of personal, group, mass-media and internet communication that continues to be a vital source of information for all those interested in how communication affects our lives. They cover new applications and developments, such as the incorporation of Neuroscience techniques in advertising and marketing. Other updates include Cyber-bullying, Twitter scandals, conduct in media organizations, on-line lobbying, global protesting/petitioning, and gender issues relating to social media in general. While new entries explore the profound shifts that have taken place in the world of communication in recent years, the purpose of this new edition is not necessarily to keep abreast of every new media event but to reflect the trends that influence and prompt such events, such as the Leveson Inquiry and Report and phone hacking via mobile phones. Politics seems to be playing out more on Twitter than in The Times. This volume seeks to make its twenty-first century readers more media literate, as well as more critical consumers of modern news.