This book, first published in 2000, challenges the idea that the news media and political parties are responsible for civic malaise.

List of tables; List of figures; Preface; Part I. The News Media and Civic Malaise: 1. The news media and democracy; 2. Evaluating media performance; 3. Understanding political communications; Part II. Trends in Political Communication: 4. The decline of newspapers?; 5. The rise (and fall?) of the television age; 6. The emerging internet era; 7. The evolution of campaign communications; 8. The rise of the post-modern campaign?; Part III. The Impact on Democracy: 9. Negative news, negative public?; 10. Knows little? Information and choice; 11. Cares less? Cynical media, cynical public?; 12. Stays home? Political mobilization; 13. American exceptionalism?; 14. A virtuous circle?; Technical appendix; Notes; Select bibliography; Author index; Subject index.