Contemporary British mediated democracy is said to be in crisis. The public are disengaged and uninterested in party politics; so-called spin-doctors seem to be omnipresent. In this context, how do television and the press handle important topics like the economy, the euro and anti-globalization politics? How well do these media communicate about political issues and what are the implications of their coverage? This evidence-based, theoretically informed and accessible study looks at the way in which public service broadcasters and their press counterparts approach these important questions. Addressing the issues of bias and balance, spin, tabloidization and the impact of coverage on the public, the book explores the strengths and weaknesses of reporting. The results are reassuring, but at the same time there are worrying developments that have serious implications for the way in which the media represent economics and politics to a public. This volume explores the significance of these findings for the media and for mediated democracy, in Britain and the rest of Europe.