Presidents and the Media

Stephen E. Frantzich is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the United States Naval Academy, where he was selected as outstanding civilian professor in 1990. He is the author of over two dozen books and has served as a consultant to the US Congress, Dirksen Center, C-SPAN, and a variety of foreign parliaments. He also runs Books for International Goodwill (www.big-books.org), which has distributed over 8 million books to underserved populations around the world.

Praise for Presidents and the MediaCommunication technologies have fundamentally changed how the president interacts with the public, transforming the nature of representative democracy. This book offers a cutting-edge portrayal of how changes in media affect presidential actions and his ability to influence the public. It is a must-read for anyone interested in representative democracy.James N. Druckman, Northwestern UniversityTimely and relevant amid cries of fake news, Stephen Frantzich’s thorough overview of the connection between the presidency and media shows how their relationship has existed and continues to evolve under the Trump Administration. This book is accessible to undergraduate students, and it is also a useful compendium for scholars of the presidency and news media.Matthew Eshbaugh-Soha, University of North TexasPresidents and the Media: The Communicator in Chief is a thorough and thoughtful treatment of an increasingly important topic. It should be required reading for those who want to understand the 21st century version of the public presidency.Irwin Lester Morris, University of MarylandStephen Frantzich’s compelling new book offers a wealth of important insights on the evolving relationship between modern American presidents and the media. This comprehensive account illuminates this symbiotic, tension-filled relationship from the perspectives of the nation’s chief executive, the media, and the public. Frantzich’s crisp writing and engaging analysis shed important light on the changing strategies and techniques that presidents and the media use in their efforts to inform and shape the opinions of the American people.Brendan J. Doherty, United States Naval Academy

• CHAPTER 1. Presidents and the Media in a Representative DemocracyCHAPTER 2. The President as a News Hook: The First "W"CHAPTER 3. Covering the White HouseCHAPTER 4. The White House PR MachineCHAPTER 5. Delivering the President's MessageCHAPTER 6. Presidential Media EventsCHAPTER 7. Old Basics, New TechniquesCHAPTER 8. The President and Popular Media CHAPTER 9. Ongoing Media Relationships and How to Deal with Them