Publisher Description

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.

Back Cover

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.

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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.

Author Biography

James Stanyer, Department of Social Sciences, Loughborough University

Table of Contents

Preface and Acknowledgements Introduction Modern Political Communication Part 1: Exclusion, Intimacy and the Drive for Popularity 1 Exclusive Campaign Communication: the Hidden Costs of Data Driven Electioneering The rise of the floating voter Market research and the electorate Targeted communication The cost of campaign communication The included and the excluded 2 Governing and the Drive for Effective Promotion The all encompassing promotional culture Does promotion translate into popularity? The unpredictable nature of governing The rise of metacoverage Selling the removal of Saddam 3 Intimate Politicians: Mediated Visibility and the Erosion of Privacy Mediated publicness: the rise of the recognisable politician Intimacy: going behind the scenes Disclosing and exposing the personal Part 2: News and the Politics of Market Driven Media 4 News Organisations and the Audience for News News audiences as citizens Reconceptualising the role of news audiences in a period of uncertainty Serving the voter? 5 The Media and the Populist Political Impulse Political populism Media and political populism Talk radio: the voice of the people or channels of resentment? The press and reactionary populism Part 3: Communicative Disengagement and the Exercise of Political Voice 6 Turning On, Tuning Out? A diverse but unequal citizenry The interested and the disinterested Consumption gaps The vicious circle 7 The Rise of Self-Expressive Politics: Exercising Political Voice in a Digital Age Opportunities for self-expression 'Let us know what you think': encouraging attitude expression The communicating public? The loudest and quietest voices Conclusion 8 Political Communication in an Uncertain and Unequal Age Bibliography Index

Review

"Modern Political Communication addresses a great need in the political communication literature. While others frequently call for more scholarship that incorporates a comparative approach, this book delivers an insightful multinational analysis of political communication systems and practices. The writing is clear and clever. Perhaps the greatest strength of this volume is the author's ability to incorporate both US and European political science and communication studies. Furthermore, Stanyer possesses the unusual talent of weaving both humanistic and social scientific research into a coherent and complimentary narrative. This book deserves the attention of all who are interested in political communication." Mitchell S. McKinney, University of Missouri
"Modern Political Communication spans the systemic and individual levels to examine how British and American politics, by focusing on market-style analysis of the citizen-audience member and the campaigner-political actor, reproduces existing inequalities and exclusions. What distinguishes the book is the broad vista James Stanyer provides of communication and politics in late modernity."
Kevin G. Barnhurst, University of Illinois at Chicago
"Across a range of different values, structures, technologies and practices "political communication" is rapidly changing, indeed quite what this term itself might now mean is open to question. One of the strengths of Stanyer's book is his attempt to construct a broad picture of the significance and complexity of what is happening without losing focus on empirical detail." John Corner, University of Liverpool

Long Description

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.

Review Text

"Modern Political Communication addresses a great need in the political communication literature. While others frequently call for more scholarship that incorporates a comparative approach, this book delivers an insightful multinational analysis of political communication systems and practices. The writing is clear and clever. Perhaps the greatest strength of this volume is the author's ability to incorporate both US and European political science and communication studies. Furthermore, Stanyer possesses the unusual talent of weaving both humanistic and social scientific research into a coherent and complimentary narrative. This book deserves the attention of all who are interested in political communication." Mitchell S. McKinney, University of Missouri
"Modern Political Communication spans the systemic and individual levels to examine how British and American politics, by focusing on market-style analysis of the citizen-audience member and the campaigner-political actor, reproduces existing inequalities and exclusions. What distinguishes the book is the broad vista James Stanyer provides of communication and politics in late modernity."
Kevin G. Barnhurst, University of Illinois at Chicago
"Across a range of different values, structures, technologies and practices ?political communication? is rapidly changing, indeed quite what this term itself might now mean is open to question. One of the strengths of Stanyer?s book is his attempt to construct a broad picture of the significance and complexity of what is happening without losing focus on empirical detail." John Corner, University of Liverpool

Review Quote

"Modern Political Communication addresses a great need in the political communication literature. While others frequently call for more scholarship that incorporates a comparative approach, this book delivers an insightful multinational analysis of political communication systems and practices. The writing is clear and clever. Perhaps the greatest strength of this volume is the author's ability to incorporate both US and European political science and communication studies. Furthermore, Stanyer possesses the unusual talent of weaving both humanistic and social scientific research into a coherent and complimentary narrative. This book deserves the attention of all who are interested in political communication." Mitchell S. McKinney, University of Missouri "Modern Political Communication spans the systemic and individual levels to examine how British and American politics, by focusing on market-style analysis of the citizen-audience member and the campaigner-political actor, reproduces existing inequalities and exclusions. What distinguishes the book is the broad vista James Stanyer provides of communication and politics in late modernity." Kevin G. Barnhurst, University of Illinois at Chicago "Across a range of different values, structures, technologies and practices "political communication" is rapidly changing, indeed quite what this term itself might now mean is open to question. One of the strengths of Stanyer's book is his attempt to construct a broad picture of the significance and complexity of what is happening without losing focus on empirical detail." John Corner, University of Liverpool

Feature

• 
  
• Provides an accessible and comprehensive account of the communication between political parties, citizens and media organisations
  
• Works in a comparative framework, looking at modern political communication in both the United States and the United Kingdom
  
• Is comprehensive in scope, clearly structured and accessibly written
  
• Includes an appendix of helpful web resources
  
• Based on the most-up-to-date empirical research and latest theorising in the field
  
• Required reading for anyone who wants a fuller understanding of the transformation of political communication and the repercussions for democracy

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