In the newly revised and updated fourth edition of Air Wars, Darrell West continues his in-depth examination of political advertising in election campaigns. Following the evolution of campaign advertising from its start in 1952 to its use in contemporary races, West reveals how candidates plan advertising campaigns, how the media covers those campaigns, and, ultimately, how voters are influenced by these advertising efforts.
With new material from the 2004 campaigns, this edition is fully up to date in both content and analysis. Count on in-depth coverage of everything from ad buys and a review of issue-advocacy advertising to content analyses and media coverage of campaign ads. Also in the fourth edition, find case studies of ad appeals, new material on Senate and House election ads, and examination of the affect of groups such as the Swift Boat Veterans and MoveOn.org on the 2004 presidential campaign.
Written in a clear, concise manner, the book encourages students to assess current campaign advertising looking for demonization, association, stereotyping, and codewords. Real-world examples and ad stills illustrate specific points that help stimulate classroom discussion and get students thinking critically about the impact of campaign advertising on modern elections.
About the Author
Darrell M. West is professor of political science at Brown University. He is author or coauthor of several books on the mass media and elections including Cross Talk: Citizens, Candidates, and the Media in a Presidential Campaign (1996), The Sound of Money (1998), and Checkbook Democracy: How Money Corrupts Political Campaigns (2000). Professor West is a frequent commentator on media and elections and is the developer of the website InsidePolitics.org, which features in-depth information about state and national politics.
