Mediating the Vote

Mediating the Vote offers a novel and necessary examination of the changing communication forms and their impact on democratic engagement. The focus on the presidency, forms of communication, and especially democratic engagement is cutting edge and makes the book a critical read for scholars of communication, media, and politics. -- Shawn J. Parry-Giles, University of Maryland
Michael Pfau and colleagues address key questions about how today's media can enhance or undermine citizenship. Bringing together data on a vast range of media, their findings inform the efforts of campaign strategists, media practitioners, and students of political communication alike. -- Patricia Moy, University of Washington
Recommended. * CHOICE *
Mediating the Vote is a fascinating gestalt of political communication during an election year. Examining 17 different media that range from the traditional venues of newspapers, television news, and advertising to the more recent venues of talk radio, television comedy, and the Internet, this comprehensive guidebook to our expanded world of political communication investigates a variety of resulting outcomes among citizens—including the public's perceptions of the candidates, media use patterns among partisans in comparison to the marginally attentive, and attitudes toward the democratic process. Highly beneficial preparation for the coming presidential election! -- Maxwell McCombs, University of Texas at Austin; author, Setting the Agenda: The Mass Media and Public Opinion