The dynamic relationship of media and politics in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries is a new field in historical scholarship. The mediatization of politics is a central topic in current debates on the role of media in society and culture. Until now a historical perspective has been strikingly absent from this debate. At an international congress at the University of Groningen in November 2006 a wide range of scholars tried to address this lack. The result is this book, in which an interdisciplinary effort is made to shed light on the historical background of media processes and media forms influencing politics. Also included are articles that analyse the ways in which politicians and parties tried to mobilize media power for their own goals.