Packaging Politics: Political Communications In Britain's Media Democracy

Second Edition.

This book examines the various ways in which politicians, spin doctors and special advisers, in political parties, in central and local government and in Parliament have become increasingly enthusiastic and effective in using mass media to present and promote themselves and their policies to the public. Bob Franklin argues that packaging politics has potentially troublesome implications for the political processes in a democracy.

This thoroughly revised, updated and authoritative study of political communications in Britain, draws on interviews with key journalists and politicians, recent academic studies of general elections and political marketing, as well as official reports on special advisors, Government information services, Government advertising expenditure and party election broadcasts, to examine the changing character of political communications in Britain since the election of New Labour in 1997.

This book is essential reading for students and scholars of journalism, politics and communications studies.