Media Effects on the Interactive Audience. Media Electoral Roles. The Supreme Court. Foreign and Defense Policy. Since the first edition of this book was published nine years ago, the field of political communication has been dynamic.
Politicians deal with an ever-changing media climate.
These new media forms possess, to an even greater degree, entertainment and commercial values that differ significantly from political values. In many ways, they enjoy even greater autonomy from politicians than do the traditional media. However, the news media's role as intermediary does not assume Americans are mere sponges absorbing every message emanating from the media. Nor does it mean that the news media are intent on imposing a partisan or ideological bias, or conversely, that the news media are merely tools in the hands of manipulative public officials. These assumptions permeate much of what is written about the press.