ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the presidential speeches, the central focus of presidential communication efforts. It presents the evidence as to whether presidential communication efforts have a substantive impact on the news media. The chapter explores what might assist presidential leadership of the news media. It focuses on what is the public presidency? and what does news coverage of the presidency look like? The chapter also explores the prospects for leadership in light of a changing media environment that might accentuate, rather than ameliorate, existing constraints and limitations on effective presidential communication. Presidential leadership is a public effort, and so it depends on an effective communications strategy. The Press Office also plays a central role in presidential communication efforts. Self-selection is likely to drive the impact of presidential leadership through social media, too. After all, individuals select who they might follow on social media, much like how individuals decide which partisan news programs to watch.
