James Stanyer, Department of Social Sciences, Loughborough University

"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

• Preface and AcknowledgementsIntroductionModern Political CommunicationPart 1: Exclusion, Intimacy and the Drive for Popularity1 Exclusive Campaign Communication: the Hidden Costs of Data Driven ElectioneeringThe rise of the floating voterMarket research and the electorateTargeted communicationThe cost of campaign communicationThe included and the excluded2 Governing and the Drive for Effective PromotionThe all encompassing promotional cultureDoes promotion translate into popularity?The unpredictable nature of governingThe rise of metacoverageSelling the removal of Saddam3 Intimate Politicians: Mediated Visibility and the Erosion of PrivacyMediated publicness: the rise of the recognisable politicianIntimacy: going behind the scenesDisclosing and exposing the personalPart 2: News and the Politics of Market Driven Media4 News Organisations and the Audience for NewsNews audiences as citizensReconceptualising the role of news audiences in a period of uncertaintyServing the voter?5 The Media and the Populist Political ImpulsePolitical populismMedia and political populismTalk radio: the voice of the people or channels of resentment?The press and reactionary populismPart 3: Communicative Disengagement and the Exercise of Political Voice6 Turning On, Tuning Out?A diverse but unequal citizenryThe interested and the disinterestedConsumption gapsThe vicious circle7 The Rise of Self-Expressive Politics: Exercising Political Voice in a Digital AgeOpportunities for self-expression‘Let us know what you think’: encouraging attitude expressionThe communicating public?The loudest and quietest voicesConclusion8 Political Communication in an Uncertain and Unequal AgeBibliographyIndex

James Stanyer, Department of Social Sciences, Loughborough University

"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

• Preface and AcknowledgementsIntroductionModern Political CommunicationPart 1: Exclusion, Intimacy and the Drive for Popularity1 Exclusive Campaign Communication: the Hidden Costs of Data Driven ElectioneeringThe rise of the floating voterMarket research and the electorateTargeted communicationThe cost of campaign communicationThe included and the excluded2 Governing and the Drive for Effective PromotionThe all encompassing promotional cultureDoes promotion translate into popularity?The unpredictable nature of governingThe rise of metacoverageSelling the removal of Saddam3 Intimate Politicians: Mediated Visibility and the Erosion of PrivacyMediated publicness: the rise of the recognisable politicianIntimacy: going behind the scenesDisclosing and exposing the personalPart 2: News and the Politics of Market Driven Media4 News Organisations and the Audience for NewsNews audiences as citizensReconceptualising the role of news audiences in a period of uncertaintyServing the voter?5 The Media and the Populist Political ImpulsePolitical populismMedia and political populismTalk radio: the voice of the people or channels of resentment?The press and reactionary populismPart 3: Communicative Disengagement and the Exercise of Political Voice6 Turning On, Tuning Out?A diverse but unequal citizenryThe interested and the disinterestedConsumption gapsThe vicious circle7 The Rise of Self-Expressive Politics: Exercising Political Voice in a Digital AgeOpportunities for self-expression‘Let us know what you think’: encouraging attitude expressionThe communicating public?The loudest and quietest voicesConclusion8 Political Communication in an Uncertain and Unequal AgeBibliographyIndex

James Stanyer, Department of Social Sciences, Loughborough University

"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

• Preface and AcknowledgementsIntroductionModern Political CommunicationPart 1: Exclusion, Intimacy and the Drive for Popularity1 Exclusive Campaign Communication: the Hidden Costs of Data Driven ElectioneeringThe rise of the floating voterMarket research and the electorateTargeted communicationThe cost of campaign communicationThe included and the excluded2 Governing and the Drive for Effective PromotionThe all encompassing promotional cultureDoes promotion translate into popularity?The unpredictable nature of governingThe rise of metacoverageSelling the removal of Saddam3 Intimate Politicians: Mediated Visibility and the Erosion of PrivacyMediated publicness: the rise of the recognisable politicianIntimacy: going behind the scenesDisclosing and exposing the personalPart 2: News and the Politics of Market Driven Media4 News Organisations and the Audience for NewsNews audiences as citizensReconceptualising the role of news audiences in a period of uncertaintyServing the voter?5 The Media and the Populist Political ImpulsePolitical populismMedia and political populismTalk radio: the voice of the people or channels of resentment?The press and reactionary populismPart 3: Communicative Disengagement and the Exercise of Political Voice6 Turning On, Tuning Out?A diverse but unequal citizenryThe interested and the disinterestedConsumption gapsThe vicious circle7 The Rise of Self-Expressive Politics: Exercising Political Voice in a Digital AgeOpportunities for self-expression‘Let us know what you think’: encouraging attitude expressionThe communicating public?The loudest and quietest voicesConclusion8 Political Communication in an Uncertain and Unequal AgeBibliographyIndex