Author Description

In Spiral of Cynicism, Joseph N. Cappella and Kathleen Hall Jamieson provide the first conclusive evidence that voter cynicism is indeed fueled by the manner in which the print and broadcast media cover political events and issues. The media's heavy focus on the game of politics, rather than on its substance, starts the spiral of cynicism that erodes citizen interest. By observing voters who watched and read different sets of reports for both a recent mayoral race in Philadelphia and the national health care reform debate - some saturated in strategy talk, others focused on the real issues - the authors show clear links between the ways in which the media cover campaigns and levels of voter cynicism.