Overview

This edited volume explores the democratic dangers posed by a political press that emphasizes electoral competition, strategy, entertainment, and what Jay Rosen calls “savviness”—praising candidates for being politically smart rather than being honest—in its coverage of a political landscape dominated by a looming authoritarian threat. Contributors document how the American and global political press have failed to fulfill their role in elections and demonstrate how authoritarians have used and will continue to use their power in setting policy before going on to suggest and develop solutions to these problems. These proposed solutions include the adoption of democracy-focused framing, solutions journalism, and solidarity journalism, all of which emphasize the needs and issues of democratic communities over candidates’ political strategy. The book’s recommendations contribute to a reorientation of journalism toward democracy and truth rather than performative detachment and forced balance. Scholars of journalism, mass media, communication, and political science will find this collection to be of particular use.

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9781666957495

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Reviews

In a time of heightened and seemingly endless uncertainty in and around domestic and global political arenas, this volume provokes us to reconsider intersections of the press and power to complicate what has become binaries of good and evil. Balancing normative theory and practice with critical approaches that extend and blend social responsibilities of citizens and mediaites, normative practices of the press and politicians, and interpretive lenses rooted in power, readers are engaged in a rethinking of the future for journalism, political communication, and democracy. --Robert E. Gutsche Jr., Florida Atlantic University

Author Information

Thomas J. Johnson is Amon G. Carter Jr. Centennial Professor in the School of Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin and director of the digital media research program. Aaron S. Veenstra is associate professor and multimedia journalism area coordinator in the School of Communication and Multimedia Studies at Florida Atlantic University.

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