The relationship between politics, politicians, and the media is a matter of increasingly contentious public debate. As politicians' awareness of the importance of the media becomes more sophisticated, and as changes in media technology and control proliferate, questions around this relationship become more complex and pressing. In this study, Ralph Negrine examines the role of mass communications in politics at all level, from election campaigns, news reports, and lobbying groups, to the media activities of pressure groups. Basing his discussion on case-studies and illustrating his arguments with recent examples from television and the press, Ralph Negrine has written a key text for students of politics and the media, which will also be of interest to anyone concerned with the politics of British news and newsmaking.