In recent years political campaigns in Western democracies have relied increasingly upon television advertising to promote candidates and//or political parties. Campaigns in North America were the first to channel political messages in this way and many European campaigns have been based on the United States models. This comparative analysis highlights the differences and the similarities of campaigns in Western democracies. The various campaign styles, their methods and approaches reflect the unique political and cultural traditions of each country. Written by renowned contributors, the chapters are based on the most recent campaigns in the countries represented.
A comparative analysis of political websites and their users from seven Western democracies. Digital politics is shorthand for how internet technologies have fueled the complex interactions between political actors and their constituents. Cristian Vaccari analyzes the presentation and consumption of online politics in seven advanced Western democracies—Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States—from 2006 to 2010. His study not only refutes claims that the web creates homogenized American-style politics and political interaction but also empirically reveals how a nation’s unique constraints and opportunities create digital responses. Digital Politics in Western Democracies is the first large-scale comparative treatment of both the supply and the demand sides of digital politics among different countries and national political actors. It is divided into four parts: theoretical challenges and research methodology; how parties and candidates structure their websites (supply); how citizens use the websites to access campaign information (demand); and how the research results tie back to inequalities, engagement, and competition in digital politics. Because a key aspect of any political system is how its actors and citizens communicate, this book will be invaluable for scholars, students, and practitioners interested in political communication, party competition, party organization, and the study of the contemporary media landscape writ large.
How elections are reported has important implications for the health of democracy and informed citizenship. But, how informative are the news media during campaigns? What kind of logic do they follow? How well do they serve citizens?e Based on original research as well as the most comprehensive assessment of election studies to date, Cushion and Thomas examine how campaigns are reported in many advanced Western democracies. In doing so, they engage with debates about the mediatization of politics, media systems, information environments, media ownership, regulation, political news, horserace journalism, objectivity, impartiality, agenda-setting, and the relationship between media and democracy more generally. Focusing on the most recent US and UK election campaigns, they consider how the logic of election coverage could be rethought in ways that better serve the democratic needs of citizens. Above all, they argue that election reporting should be driven by a public logic, where the agenda of voters takes centre stage in the campaign and the policies of respective political parties receive more airtime and independent scrutiny. The book is essential reading for scholars and students in political communication and journalism studies, political science, media and communication studies.
"An interesting study about political advertising on TV.... The material in the book can work as a good guide for both the Ministry of information and Broadcasting (including Doordarshan bosses) and major political parties while preparing to use TV as an effective medium for the next election campaign." --The Hindustan Times "This invaluable work significantly advances the cross-national, comparative study of political advertising broadly defined. In pellucid prose, the editors and contributors identify commonalities and differences among media systems, regulations, contents, and styles and point to their likely impact and effects. It is essential reading." --David L. Paletz, Duke University In recent years, political campaigns in Western democracies have increasingly relied on television advertising to promote candidates and/or political parties. Although North America was the first to channel political messages in this way and many European campaigns have been based on the U.S. model, Political Advertising in Western Democracies highlights the differences as well as the similarities of campaigns in Western democracies. The various campaign styles, their methods, and approaches reflect the unique political and cultural traditions of each country. Viewed individually and comparatively, they formulate the first comprehensive study to date on the role that television plays in the electoral process. The chapters, written by well-known contributors, are all based on original research of the most recent campaigns in England, France, Germany, Italy, Israel, Denmark, the Netherlands, Finland, and the United States. An invaluable resource for anyone interested in this topic, Political Advertising in Western Democracies is also an ideal supplement for courses such as Survey of Political Communication, Mass Communication and Politics, International Communication, Political Advertising, Comparative Political Communication, and Political Campaigning.
The first book-long analysis of the 'mediatization of politics', this volume aims to understand the transformations of the relationship between media and politics in recent decades, and explores how growing media autonomy, journalistic framing, media populism and new media technologies affect democratic processes.
Focusing on the U.S. 2008 general elections, this study shows the links between inaccurate political ad claims and negativity, sound and visual distortions that influence voter cognition, and voter knowledge and behavior. Knowing less and voting more appears to be the troubling news in an age of post-factual democracies.
This handbook provides a general description of the different models of political finance regulations and analyses the relationship between party funding and effective democracy. The most important part of the book is an extensive matrix on political finance laws and regulations for about 100 countries. Public funding regulations, ceilings on campaign expenditure, bans on foreign donations and enforcing an agency are some of the issues covered in the study. Includes regional studies and discusses how political funding can affect women and men differently, and the delicate issue of monitoring, control and enforcement of political finance laws.
Drawing on extensive fieldwork in Egypt, Morocco, and Washington DC and recently declassified government documents, this book focuses on the construction and practice of democracy aid in the Middle East, showing how democracy aid can reinforce, rather than challenge authoritarian regimes.
