This volume is intended to serve as a primary text for courses on mass media and American politics, mass media and society, political communication, and public opinion. It contains 36 papers, 21 new to this edition, exploring the effects of the news media on American politics from a variety of disciplinary and media practitioner perspectives. Graber (political science, U. of Illinois at Chicago) has organized the papers into sections addressing introductory issues, media influence over political agendas and public opinion, media influence over election outcomes, the relationship between the media and political actors, media and the shaping of public policy, and regulating and manipulating media effects. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)