Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book describes how the financing of campaigns and advertising was first regulated by the government and explores how those regulations have changed. It provides data on the sheer volume and content of advertising in campaigns. The book discusses the options for disseminating ads and how those options are used to target specific groups of voters. It examines considers the role of advertising in contemporary American election campaigns. The book describes the role of online advertising, how it compares to traditional television advertising, and the different ways in which it is deployed. It explores how political advertising affects voters—not only the decisions that they make but their propensity to participate in politics and their attitudes toward the political system. It offers several main arguments about political advertising.