Modern Political Communications: Mediated Politics In Uncertain Terms

by James Stanyer

Political communication systems in advanced industrial democracies are in a state of flux. The traditional political communication system, with its limited and regulated media channels, stable patterns of media consumption, and identifiable party loyalty, which characterized much of the twentieth century, is giving way to one that is less ordered and structured. This book provides an accessible and comprehensive account of how governments, political parties, established media organizations and citizen audiences, in the US and the UK, are adapting to this systemic change.
Against the background of audience fragmentation and widening social and political divisions, James Stanyer provides a critical appraisal of the evolving relationship of political communicators and their audience. He argues that such divisions influence citizen communicative engagement and are increasingly exacerbated by the strategic activities of political advocates and media organizations. Modern Political Communication is required reading for anyone who wants a fuller understanding of the transformation of political communication and the repercussions for democracy.

240 pages, Paperback

First published September 10, 2007

Reviews

[Julian Haigh]

Nothing overly exciting that you couldn't figure out by yourself, nothing very ground-breaking, but if you want a good introduction to the topic (and it appears many who actually do political communications require it), the book provides a good base for understanding the basic connection between politics, media and audience and some modern percolations of the relations.