The media are everywhere. This renowned book by media expert Lance Bennett explores how well the news media serves the needs of democracy and looks at how various political actors--from presidents and members of Congress, to interest groups and citizen-activists--try to get their messages into the news. The News About Democracy: An Introduction to the American Political Information System; News Content: Four Information Biases that Matter; The Political Economy of News; How Politicians Make the News; How Journalists Report the News; Inside the Profession: Objectivity and Other Double Standards; The News Public: Information Processing and Public Opinion; Freedom from the Press: Solutions for Citizens, Politicians, and Journalists. Anyone interested in understanding the news mediahow it works, if it is biased, its function in democratic society.