Political Campaign Communication : Principles and Practices

Now in its seventh edition, Political Campaign Communication provides a realistic understanding of the strategic and tactical communication practices utilized in contemporary political campaigns. It draws on a wealth of examples from local to national political campaigns and communication theory to illustrate principles and practices of campaigns such as functions, stages, communicative styles, public speaking, debates, interpersonal communication, political advertising, and the use of the internet and new media.

Trent, Friedenberg, and Denton's classic text has been updated to reflect recent election campaigns, including the 2010 congressional elections and the initial stages of the 2012 presidential election. Many sections now focus on the most recent presidential elections, and the campaigns of Barack Obama and John McCain. In addition, the authors have examined the expanding role of the internet in political campaigns. Political Campaign Communication continues to be a classroom favorite―a thoroughly researched, insightful, and reader-friendly text.

ROBERT V. FRIEDENBERG is Professor of Communications at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. He is a former communications consultant with the Republican National Committee and coauthor, with Judith Trent, of Political Campaign Communication (Praeger, 1983 and 1991).