This edited collection examines the changing faces of political communication in contemporary democracy. Based on comparative investigations of recent trends in the Netherlands and Great Britain, the essays provide fresh insights and new empirical evidence into the public representation of media-centred politics.

List of Illustrations Foreword; J.Blumler Introduction; K.Brants & K.Voltmer PART I: NEW APPROACHES TO POLITICAL COMMUNICATION Audience democracy: an emerging pattern in post-modern political communication; J.de Beus Representation and mediated politics: representing representation in an age of iron; S.Coleman PART II: MEDIATIZATION - THE CHANGING POWER GAME BETWEEN POLITICS AND THE MEDIA Mediatization and news management in comparative institutional perspective; R.Brown Spin and political publicity: Effects on news coverage and public opinion; C.de Vreese & M.Elenbaas Changes in political news coverage: personalization, conflict and negativity in British and Dutch newspapers; R.Vliegenthart, H.G.Boomgaarden & J.W. Boumans A changing culture of political television journalism; J.Stamper & K.Brants A question of control: journalists and politicians in political broadcast interviews; K.Voltmer & K.Brants The elephant trap: politicians performing in television comedy; L.van Zoonen, S.Coleman & A.Kuik PART III: DE-CENTRALIZATION - NEW FORMS OF CITIZENSHIP AND POLITICAL COMMUNICATION Political consumerism as political participation?; J.Ward The new frontiers of journalism: citizen participation in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands; T.Bakker & C.Paterson The new cultural cleavage: immigration and the challenge to Dutch politics and media; P.Van Praag & M.Adriaansen The mediation of political disconnection; S.Coleman, D.Morrison & S.Yates 'Voting is easy, just press the red button': communicating politics in the age of Big Brother; V.Cardo What's reality television got to do with it? Talking politics in the net-based public sphere; T.Graham Afterword; J.Corner Index