"This book seeks to provide readers with a cross-national perpective concerning the art of political communication in a field increasingly affected by globalization, fragmentation of political audiences, and the rise of professional communications experts - a field concerned not only with how leaders are chosen, but also with how they govern." "Structured in two Parts, Political Communication in a New Era examines both methods of gathering and disseminating information in a time of technological transformation, and developments in the uses of political communication across the globe. Contributors offer perspectives from Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, and the US, addressing such issues as: the effects of the technological revolution on journalists and the construction of news, possible directions for "digital democracies" in Europe and the US, the Americanization of European political campaigns, attempts to increase local government participation through new technologies, and the varying role of the news media both in conflict and in peace. This book provides a timely overview of modern political communication at all levels."--BOOK JACKET.