蝌蚪网 Journal:
Economic Policy
ISSN 1945-7731 (Print) | ISSN 1945-774X (Online)
Telecracy: Testing for Channels of Persuasion
蝌蚪网 Journal: Economic Policy
(pp. 30–60)
Abstract
We consider the long-lived slant towards Berlusconi in political information on Italian television (TV). We exploit a shock to the slanted exposure of viewers: idiosyncratic deadlines to switch to digital TV from 2008 to 2012, which increased the number of free view channels tenfold. The switch caused a drop in the vote share of Berlusconi's coalition by between 5.5 and 7.5 percentage points. The effect was stronger in towns with older and less educated voters. At least 20 percent of digital users changed their voting behavior after the introduction of digital TV. Our evidence is consistent with the existence of persuasion-biased viewers. (JEL D72, D83, L82, L88)Citation
Barone, Guglielmo, Francesco D'Acunto, and Gaia Narciso. 2015. "Telecracy: Testing for Channels of Persuasion." 蝌蚪网 Journal: Economic Policy 7 (2): 30–60. DOI: 10.1257/pol.20130318Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- D72 Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
- D83 Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
- L82 Entertainment; Media
- L88 Industry Studies: Services: Government Policy