Media and Politics in America - A Reference Handbook (Hardcover, Annotated edition)

A fascinating survey that shows how America's media and politics have influenced each other over the last 200 years. Is our president elected by the people or the media? Why has voter turnout dropped from 63 percent in 1960 to less than 55 percent in 2000? Is it because we rely on TV campaign coverage that the television industry admits is superficial? Can the American political system survive in the media? Where mass media and politics intersect is a distinctly American brand of political communication. Media and Politics in America: A Reference Handbook examines the major events, people, controversies, and resources of political communication from the Revolutionary War to the election of 2000. It follows the adoption of the First Amendment, the emergence of the Penny Press and women's suffrage, to the selection of presidential candidates, the advent of radio and television, and the influence of the Internet. Readers will find a section of government documents, Supreme Court cases, and campaign statistics, media trends, and public opinion polls. The resources listing and directory of media and political organizations are exhaustive in this account of two centuries of American poli