This volume brings together the major thrusts of contemporary research and theory in political communication. The approach stresses theoretical overviews and research synthesis with the goal of each chapter to provide an overview of the major lines of research, theory and findings for that topic. Lynda Kaid brings together top scholars to explore the state of political communication research. Part One contains chapters that discuss some of the theoretical background, history, structure, and diversity of the field. Part Two concentrates on messages that are predominant in the study of political communication, ranging from classical rhetorical modes to political advertising and debates. The next two sections focus on the news media coverage of politics, political issues, and political institutions followed by an emphasis on public opinion and the audiences of political communication. Part Five offers international perspectives on political communication with the inclusion of European and Asian approaches. The final section provides an opportunity to look at the newest channel in political communication study, the Internet, and its role in changing the face of political communication. As a comprehensive examination of the political communication field, the volume is intended for scholars and researchers in political communication, mass communication, and political science. It should also find readers in public opinion, political psychology and related areas.

Acknowledgments

Foreword / Keith R. Sanders

Introduction and overview of the field / Lynda Lee Kaid

Pt. I Theories and approaches to political communication

1 Theoretical diversity in political communication / Everett M. Rogers 3

2 Political marketing : theory, research, and applications / Bruce I. Newman, Richard M. Perloff 17

3 Methodological developments in political communication research / Doris A. Graber 45

4 Fragmentation of the structure of political communication research : diversification or isolation? / Yang Lin 69

5 Design and creation of a controlled vocabulary for political communication / Kathleen J. M. Haynes 109

Pt. II Political messages

6 Rhetoric and politics / Bruce E. Gronbeck 135

7 Political advertising / Lynda Lee Kaid 155

8 Political campaign debates / Mitchell S. McKinney, Diana B. Carlin 203

Pt. III New media coverage of politics, political issues, and political institutions

9 News coverage of political campaigns / Girish J. Gulati, Marion R. Just, Ann N. Crigler 237

10 Agenda-setting research : issues, attributes, and influences / David Weaver, Maxwell McCombs, Donald L. Shaw 257

11 Gatekeeping and press-government relations : a multigated model of news construction / W. Lance Bennett 283

12 The presidency and the media / Amy McKay, David L. Paletz 315

Pt. IV Political communication and public opinion

13 The spiral of silence and the social nature of man / Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann, Thomas Petersen 339

14 Knowledge as understanding : the information processing approach to political learning / Mira Satirovic, Jack M. McLeod 357

15 Mediating democratic engagement : the impact of communications on citizens' involvement in political and civic life / Michael X. Delli Carpini 395

16 Women as political communication sources and audiences / Dianne G. Bystrom 435

Pt. V International perspectives on political communication

17 Political communication research abroad : Europe / Christina Holtz-Bacha 463

18 Political communication in Asia : challenges and opportunities / Lars Willnat, Annette J. Aw 479

Pt. VI New trends in political communication channels and messages

19 Changing the channel : use of the internet for communicating about politics / John C. Tedesco 507

About the authors 533

Index 539