Zusatztext "Baum sets us off on some productive paths for more research in the area. The book is well written! cautious! and generally impressive. I recommend it highly for all students of contemporary political communication and public opinion." ---Susan Herbst! Political Communication Informationen zum Autor Matthew A. Baum is Assistant Professor of Political Science and Communications at the University of California, Los Angeles. Klappentext The American public has consistently declared itself less concerned with foreign affairs in the post-Cold War era, even after 9/11, than at any time since World War II. How can it be, then, that public attentiveness to U.S. foreign policy crises has increased? This book represents the first systematic attempt to explain this apparent paradox. Matthew Baum argues that the answer lies in changes to television's presentation of political information. In so doing he develops a compelling "byproduct" theory of information consumption. The information revolution has fundamentally changed the way the mass media, especially television, covers foreign policy. Traditional news has been repackaged into numerous entertainment-oriented news programs and talk shows. By transforming political issues involving scandal or violence (especially attacks against America) into entertainment, the "soft news" media have actually captured more viewers who will now follow news about foreign crises, due to its entertainment value, even if they remain uninterested in foreign policy. Baum rigorously tests his theory through content analyses of traditional and soft news media coverage of various post-WWII U.S. foreign crises and statistical analyses of public opinion surveys. The results hold key implications for the future of American politics and foreign policy. For instance, watching soft news reinforces isolationism among many inattentive Americans. Scholars, political analysts, and even politicians have tended to ignore the soft news media and politically disengaged citizens. But, as this well-written book cogently demonstrates, soft news viewers represent a largely untapped reservoir of unusually persuadable voters. Zusammenfassung The American public has consistently declared itself less concerned with foreign affairs in the post-Cold War era. How can it be, then, that public attentiveness to US foreign policy crises has increased? This book represents a systematic attempt to explain this apparent paradox. Inhaltsverzeichnis PREFACE ix CHAPTER ONE: War and Entertainment 1 Appendix. Defining "Attentiveness" 15 CHAPTER TWO: Soft News and the Accidentally Attentive Public 18 Appendix. Locating Changes in Cognitive Costs and Benefits 53 CHAPTER THREE: "I Heard It on Oprah" 57 Appendix. Content Analysis Coding Form 95 CHAPTER FOUR: Bringing War to the Masses 97 Appendix 1. On Using Opinionation as an Indicator of Attentiveness 133 Appendix 2. Variable Definitions 138 Appendix 3. Statistical Tables 144 CHAPTER FIVE: Tuning Out the World Isn't as Easy as It Used to Be 156 Appendix 1. Data Sources and Variable Definitions 195 Appendix 2. Testing for Floor and Ceiling Effects 200 Appendix 3. Comparing Korea! Vietnam! and the Persian Gulf War 202 Appendix 4. Statistical Tables 204 CHAPTER SIX: Rallying Round the Water Cooler 212 Appendix 1. Variable Definitions 223 Appendix 2. Statistical Tables 225 CHAPTER SEVEN: Soft News and World Views: Foreign Policy Attitudes of the Inattentive Public 229 Appendix. Statistical Tables 259 CHAPTER EIGHT: Soft News! Public Opinion! and American Foreign Policy: The Good! the Bad! and the Merely Entertaining 269 Appendix. Statistical Tables 292 NOTES 295 REFERENCES 330 INDEX 345 ...

Autorentext

Matthew A. Baum is Assistant Professor of Political Science and Communications at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Klappentext

The American public has consistently declared itself less concerned with foreign affairs in the post-Cold War era, even after 9/11, than at any time since World War II. How can it be, then, that public attentiveness to U.S. foreign policy crises has increased? This book represents the first systematic attempt to explain this apparent paradox. Matthew Baum argues that the answer lies in changes to television's presentation of political information. In so doing he develops a compelling "byproduct" theory of information consumption. The information revolution has fundamentally changed the way the mass media, especially television, covers foreign policy. Traditional news has been repackaged into numerous entertainment-oriented news programs and talk shows. By transforming political issues involving scandal or violence (especially attacks against America) into entertainment, the "soft news" media have actually captured more viewers who will now follow news about foreign crises, due to its entertainment value, even if they remain uninterested in foreign policy. Baum rigorously tests his theory through content analyses of traditional and soft news media coverage of various post-WWII U.S. foreign crises and statistical analyses of public opinion surveys. The results hold key implications for the future of American politics and foreign policy. For instance, watching soft news reinforces isolationism among many inattentive Americans. Scholars, political analysts, and even politicians have tended to ignore the soft news media and politically disengaged citizens. But, as this well-written book cogently demonstrates, soft news viewers represent a largely untapped reservoir of unusually persuadable voters.

Inhalt
PREFACE ix CHAPTER ONE: War and Entertainment 1 Appendix. Defining "Attentiveness" 15 CHAPTER TWO: Soft News and the Accidentally Attentive Public 18 Appendix. Locating Changes in Cognitive Costs and Benefits 53 CHAPTER THREE: "I Heard It on Oprah" 57 Appendix. Content Analysis Coding Form 95 CHAPTER FOUR: Bringing War to the Masses 97 Appendix 1. On Using Opinionation as an Indicator of Attentiveness 133 Appendix 2. Variable Definitions 138 Appendix 3. Statistical Tables 144 CHAPTER FIVE: Tuning Out the World Isn't as Easy as It Used to Be 156 Appendix 1. Data Sources and Variable Definitions 195 Appendix 2. Testing for Floor and Ceiling Effects 200 Appendix 3. Comparing Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf War 202 Appendix 4. Statistical Tables 204 CHAPTER SIX: Rallying Round the Water Cooler 212 Appendix 1. Variable Definitions 223 Appendix 2. Statistical Tables 225 CHAPTER SEVEN: Soft News and World Views: Foreign Policy Attitudes of the Inattentive Public 229 Appendix. Statistical Tables 259 CHAPTER EIGHT: Soft News, Public Opinion, and American Foreign Policy: The Good, the Bad, and the Merely Entertaining 269 Appendix. Statistical Tables 292 NOTES 295 REFERENCES 330 INDEX 345