Real News about the News

Erscheinungsjahr 2024
ISBN: 978-1-009-38703-3
Verlag: Cambridge University Press

Buch, Englisch, 202 Seiten, Format (B × H): 152 mm x 229 mm, Gewicht: 440 g

What role does the media play in British politics? There is growing concern that the media environment is biased, and that online news and social media spread fake news, conspiracy theories, propaganda, and foreign interference. Examining TV, radio, newspapers and the internet, Kenneth Newton unravels the real effects of the mainstream and alternative news media. With abundant evidence, Newton demonstrates that, contrary to popular belief: newspapers neither win nor lose elections; nor set election agendas; most citizens have a fairly mixed news diet and do not inhabit echo-chambers; social media influences on political attitudes are generally small and actually expand the range of news people get; impartial and reliable public service news still provides the bulk of the nation's news diet. Evidence shows that the main media effects on political attitudes and behaviour are positive and inform and mobilise citizens rather than influencing their voting choice.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Newton, Kenneth

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. Massive and minimal media effects; 2. The news landscape; 3. News diets; 4. Avoiding, rejecting, ignoring and accepting; 5. Digital pessimism; 6. Newspapers, voting and agenda-setting; 7. Media malaise and the mean world effect; 8. Personal experience as a reality check; 9. Pluralism and democracy; 10. Practical lessons.

Über Autor(innen)

Newton, Kenneth
Kenneth Newton is Professor Emeritus at Southampton University. He served as Executive Director of the ECPR and as a member of the Executive of IPSA and the PSA UK. His research publications cover social and political trust, democratic innovations, city politics and media politics and he is the co-author of Foundations of Comparative Politics (4th edition, with Jan van Deth, Cambridge 2021).