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Public opinion polls point to a continuing decline in confidence in the Presidency, court system, Congress, the news media, state government, public education, and other key institutions. Moy and Pfau analyze the reasons for this crisis of confidence, with particular attention to the role of the media.
Moy and Pfau examine the impact of sociodemographic factors, political expertise, and use of communication media on people's perceptions of confidence in democratic institutions. Their conclusions are based on two years of data collection. In three waves between 1995 and 1997, they conducted a series of content analyses of media depictions of democratic institutions in conjunction with general survey data. The result is one of the most comprehensive examinations ever conducted on the influence of the media on public confidence. It will be of great value to scholars, researchers, students, and professionals in government and the media.
List of contents
Preface
Crisis of ConfidenceErosion of Confidence
The Question of Causality
Media Influence on ConfidenceDesign of the Studies
Media Depictions
The Print Media's Contribution
The Effects of Traditional Television News
The Effects of Television Programming
The Effects of Political Talk Radio
Conclusions
Bibliography
Index
About the author
Patricia Moy, Michael Pfau
