Processing Politics: Learning from Television in the Internet Age

Integrating a broad range of current research on how people learn (from political science, social psychology, communication, physiology, and artificial intelligence), Doris Graber shows that televised presentations—at their best—actually excel at transmitting information and facilitating learning. She critiques current political offerings in terms of their compatibility with our learning capacities and interests, and she considers the obstacles, both economic and political, that affect the content we receive on the air, on cable, or on the Internet.

Corruption in the Wisconsin Capitol

The Wisconsin State Journal in Madison, Wis., uncovered widespread corruption in state government.

Exposing the Flaws

The Sentinel ran a yearlong series investigating what went wrong with the Florida vote in 2000, how many votes might have been lost, and how the system could be repaired for the future.

Politicians Don’t Pander: Political Manipulation and the Loss of Democratic Responsiveness

This book asks us to reexamine whether our government really responds to the broad public or to the narrower interests and values of certain groups.

The Money Trail

The “Money Trail” series is about the influence of corporate contributions on politics.

Rich Media, Poor Democracy: Communication Politics in Dubious Times

Robert McChesney maintains that the major beneficiaries of the so-called Information Age are no more than a handful of enormous corporations, and that this concentrated corporate control is disastrous for any notion of participatory democracy.

President Clinton and the Monica Lewinsky Scandal

Newsweek reporter Michael Isikoff’s stories and inquiries played a major role in shaping developments on the road toward impeachment. Isikoff was the first journalist to learn of the liaison between President Clinton and former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

Dirty Votes: The Race for Miami Mayor

Revealed corruption in Miami’s city administration, exposing the irregularities of the city’s electoral contest in 1998, such as buying votes and falsifying votes of deceased persons and of criminals.

Inside Tibet: A Country Tortured

Account of the flight of 15 Buddhist monks from Tibet through the Himalayas.

Investigation into Chicago City Hall Ethics Abuses

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that lawyer and Chicago Alderman Edward Burke, chairman of the city council’s Finance Committee, was paid at least $189,000 in fees while helping developer Joseph Beale, who got a $1.2 million subsidy and other aid from City Hall. Investigative reporters Chuck Neubauer and Charles Nicodemus wrote in their November 15 story that the total paid to Burke may have exceeded $300,000, and that Burke’s wife, Anne, a state appellate judge, also received at least $17,000 from the developer. They also reported that Burke’s lobbying efforts on Beale’s behalf included writing a letter to a state official on city stationery.