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Politicians and journalists have never been among the most trusted professional classes; in this book, author Richard Forgette posits a "news grazing" explanation of how and why. Forgette, an expert on the U.S. Congress and public policy, draws upon direct experimental research to argue that the diffusion of media outlets and media technologies have resulted in an increasingly fragmented and distracted news audience.
List of contents
Preface
Part I: THE MAKING OF A NEWS GRAZER
Chapter 1: Why Don't We Trust Congress and the Media?
News Grazing
The Evolution of Media Choice and Screening
The Birth of News Grazers
News Grazing and Congressional Distrust
Conclusion
Chapter 2: The News Grazer
Selective Exposure
The News-Grazing Decision: Practices and Theories
News Grazing: Trends and Analysis
Conclusion
Chapter 3: News Makers and Producers: The Emergence of Commentary News
Selling the News: Is News a Private or Public Good?
The News Makers
Adaptations and Strategies: Making Commentary News
The News Producers
New Media Strategies: Producing Commentary News
Conclusion
Part II: THE EFFECTS OF NEWS GRAZING
Chapter 4: Partisan News
Understanding News Opinion
Evaluating the Effects of Opinion News
Conclusion
Chapter 5: Breaking News
Understanding News Urgency
The Effects of News Urgency on Attitudes toward Congress
Conclusion
Chapter 6: Fake News
Fake News and Political Trust
Fake Satirical News: Evolution, Audience, and Content
Political Satire and Public Attitudes Toward Congress: Why and How Does Political Satire Matter?
Assessing the Effects of Political Satire on Congressional Cynicism
Conclusion
Chapter 7: Overexposed
A Summary of the News-Grazing Theory
An Overexposed Congress: Does It Matter?
An Overexposed Media: Does It Matter?
Conclusion
Appendix I: Breaking-News Experiment: Pretest/Post-Test Script
Appendix II: Satirical News Experiment: Pretest/Post-Test Script
References
Index
About the Author
