Vermeer's competently edited volume fills a void in the literature by focusing on mass media in congressional elections. . . . The project is well executed. The quality of the articles varies, but overall this edited collection is important because it addresses a topic which has not been covered very well. Choice
Questions about the impact of media advertisements and news coverage on the democratic process are asked with increasing frequency by both the public and concerned professionals and policy-makers. Congressional campaigns and elections in particular have been the subject of much recent scholarly attention. In this volume twelve specialists explore the relationship between mass media and congressional campaigns from a variety of perspectives, covering issues ranging from ethics and ideology to newspaper and television exposure to policy information and advertisements.