Placing the 1996 presidential campaign in its broader historical and institutional context reveals changes taking places in the “political-media complex.” These changes include a shift in control of political communication away from mainstream news media in what might be described as a progressivist reformation; the inability of mainstream news media to resolve both their commercial needs and their professional needs, leading to a decline in their influence; and the need for both candidates and journalists to respond to public dissatisfaction with campaigns and campaign news coverage.
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