The Media and Political Process 2/e

Eric Louw, School of Communication & Arts, University of Queensland, previously worked for a number of South African universities (University of South Africa, University of Natal and Rand Afrikaans University), and ran a NGO engaged in development work. His books include: Media and Society: production, content and participation (SAGE, 2015), The Media and Political Process (SAGE, 2010), The Media and Cultural Production (SAGE, 2001), The Roots of the Pax Americana (MUP, 2010), New Voices Over the Air: The Transformation of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (Hampton Press, 2010), South African Media Policy (1995), and The Rise, Fall and Legacy of Apartheid (Praeger, 2005). Louw has published widely in the fields of political communication, South African media and South African political discourse. His current research is focusing on the transformation of South Africa.

Introduction Politics: Image versus Substance What is Politics? Politics: Hype and Substance The Media as a Power Resource The Game of Political Impression Management What is Media-ized Politics? Western Political Development: An Evolving Symbiosis of Media and Politics The Origins of Liberal Democracy The Early Anglo Model The Massification of Liberal Democracy Managing Democracy: Taming Western Publics The Media's Evolving Role in Liberal Governance Liberal Democracy and the Public Sphere Political Media Practice: An Outline From Fourth Estate to Sensationalized Watchdogism News as Entertaining Spectacle Constructing the News Window 1: Journalistic Practices Constructing the News Window 2: Choosing Sources Constructing the News Window 3: Newsroom Struggles Institutionalizing the Media-Politician Relationship Journalists: Watchdogs or Symbiotic Partners? Journalistic 'Power' Spin-Doctoring: The Art of Political Public Relations The Rise of PR Professionals as Political Players Changes to the Political Process The Innovators of PR-ized Politics The Normalization of PR-ized Politics What is Political PR? The Tools of Political PR Selling Politicians and Creating Celebrity Constructing Celebrity The Game: Playing to a Televisual Audience Genres of Political Celebrity Selling Political Policies and Beliefs Worldviews Making Worldviews Popularizing Worldviews The Function of Worldviews Selling War/Selling Peace The Era of Mass Consent for Mass Killing Vietnam: A Televised Non-censored War The PR-ization of Warfare Nintendo Warfare The Iraq War Selling Peace The Media and Terrorism Terrorism as Communication Terrorist Audiences Fighting Terrorism Terrorism and the Media The Media and Foreign Relations The CNN Effect Foreign Policy Making: The Players The Media and Foreign Relations The Media-ized Dimension of Foreign Relations Conclusion: Searching for Answers (and Questions) What is Media-ization The Routines and Practices of Media-ized Politics Creating Hype Politics When Things Go Wrong for Spin-doctors Hype-Politics: A System in Trouble or a System Re-Inventing Itself? Is Media-ization Bad?

This is a timely new edition of Louw's accessible and comprehensive book. It will make essential reading for students and teachers of political media Brian McNair Professor of Journalism & Communication, University of Strathclyde This is a reflective, thorough and welcome overview of the field. It carefully considers the dynamic relationships between the media and political spheres and will therefore be highly valuable to students seeking to understand and analyse developments Dominic Wring Reader in Political Communication, Loughborough University For more than 300 years media and politics in the western world have been complex institutions and the subjects of numerous works. In this book Dr Louw has successfully drawn together the various strands that create politics and media, providing an enjoyable narrative that demonstrates his strong understanding of the roles they play in modern socioeconomic policy and processes. This second edition makes a vital contribution to the way we view media and politics at the beginning of what promises to be an exciting century Richard Stanton Senior Lecturer, The University of Sydney