U.S. Media and Elections in Flux: Dynamics and Strategies - Softcover

"'Stay tuned.' That’s the book’s closing sentence, and one of the most prescient such sentences ever. David Jones has masterfully captured the dynamic and evolving role of the media in U.S. elections. The book is a must read for any citizen, journalist, politician, scholar, or student who seeks to understand the nature of contemporary election communication."

-- Thomas E. Patterson, Harvard University

"David Jones has written a lively book about the media in flux. He does a great job capturing all the extraordinary changes that have taken place in earned, paid, and social media. Students will gain a deep understanding of the shifting communications landscape."

-- Darrell West, Brookings Institution

"Jones offers an invaluable glimpse into contemporary political communication research. The content is at once complex and accessible, with current examples that will draw readers in and hold them tight. Amply documented, with invitations for deeper probing, U.S. Media and Elections in Flux provides the tools needed for a sophisticated exploration of political campaigns in an increasingly messy media environment."

-- Stephen Maynard Caliendo, North Central College

"This book takes a complicated, and ever-changing, area of American electoral politics and breaks it down in such a way that both the expert and novice have much to gain from reading it. I highly recommend it for courses in campaigns and elections, mass media and politics, and public opinion."

-- Jeffrey L. Bernstein, Eastern Michigan University

Paid, earned, and social media are all crucial elements of modern electioneering, yet there is a scarcity of supplementary texts for campaigns and election courses that cover all types of media. Equally, media and politics courses cover election-related topics, yet there are few books that cover these subjects comprehensively.

This brief and accessible book bridges the gap by discussing media in the context of U.S elections. David A. Jones divides the book into two parts, with the first analyzing the wide array of media outlets citizens use to inform themselves during elections. Jones covers traditional, mainstream news media and opinion/entertainment-based media, as well as new media outlets such as talk shows, blogs, and late-night comedy programs. The second half of the book assesses how campaigns and candidates have adapted to the changing media environment. These chapters focus on earned media strategies, paid media strategies, and social media strategies.

Written in a concise and accessible style while including recent scholarly research, the book will appeal to students with its combination of academic rigor and readability. U.S. Media and Elections in Flux will be a useful supplementary textbook for courses on campaigns and elections, media and politics, and American introductory politics.