Mass media – Means of communication that are reaching the public, including newspapers and magazines, radio, television (broadcast, cable, and satellite), films, recordings, books, and electronic communication.

News media – Media that emphasize the news.

Issue advocacy – Promoting a particular position or an issue by interest groups or individuals but not candidates. Much issue advocacy is often electioneering for or against a candidate and, until 2004 had not been subject to regulation.

Political socialization – The process by which we develop our political attitudes, values, and beliefs.

Selective exposure – The process by which individuals screen out messages that do not conform to their own biases.

Selected perception – The process by which individuals perceive what they want to in media messages.

Horse race – A close contest; by extension, any contest in which the focus is on who is ahead and by how much rather than on substantive differences between the candidates.