A Spatial Theory of Media Slant and Voter Choice

J. Duggan and Cesar Martinelli

The Review of Economic Studies, 2011, vol. 78, issue 2, 640-666

Abstract: We develop a theory of media slant as a systematic filtering of political news that reduces multidimensional politics to the one-dimensional space perceived by voters. Economic and political choices are interdependent in our theory: expected electoral results influence economic choices, and economic choices in turn influence voting behaviour. In a two-candidate election, we show that media favouring the front-runner will focus on issues unlikely to deliver a surprise, while media favouring the underdog will gamble for resurrection. We characterize the socially optimal slant and show that it coincides with the one favoured by the underdog under a variety of circumstances. Balanced media, giving each issue equal coverage, may be worse for voters than partisan media. Copyright 2011, Oxford University Press.

Date: 2011
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