ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. This book argues that changes in media habits from generation to generation have led to a new situation in which young people are far less likely to be exposed to news about public affairs than their elders. This chapter examines elections of lesser importance, where the age gap in terms of electoral participation has reached alarming levels in many countries. In the United States and other established democracies, survey evidence from recent elections shows that more young people voting definitely would make a difference because the youth vote often favors different candidates and parties. Of course, one can learn about politics from other media sources such as television news. Television is merely a headline delivery service when it comes to politics. Recent data from throughout the established democratic world indicate that when politics is on, young adults are off somewhere else.
