Qualitative Political Communication| Managing the Digital News Cyclone: Power, Participation, and Political Production Strategies
Abstract
This research investigates the perspectives and practices of political consultants dealing with the information abundance, speed, and participatory culture of today’s communication environment. Drawing upon in-depth interviews with 38 elite operatives, this article illuminates their roles in and strategies for managing news cycles, designing campaign output, and utilizing social media opportunities. It charts their thinking and demonstrates how they have adapted and evolved in their designs on communication power as older media logics persist and inform their tactics for political production in newer media spaces.