How Cable News Reshaped Local Government

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Ash, Elliott; Galletta, Sergio
• 署名单位: Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology Domain; ETH Zurich
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL-APPLIED ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1945-7782
• DOI: 10.1257/app.20210501
• 发表日期: 2023
• 页码: 292-320
• 关键词: fox-news; newspaper entry; parties matter; media; responsiveness; polarization; television; persuasion; internet; ELITES

摘要

This paper shows that partisan cable news broadcasts have a causal effect on the size and composition of budgets in US localities. Using exogenous channel positioning as an instrument for viewership, we show that exposure to the conservative Fox News channel reduces revenues and expenditures. Multiple mechanisms drive these results: Fox News improves election chances for local Republicans, alters politician campaign agendas, and shifts voter policy preferences on fiscal issues. Consistent with the priorities of small-government con-servatism, we find evidence that private provision compensates for the reduced public services. The Fox News effect extends beyond vote shares to rightward policy shifts. (JEL D72, H71, H72, H75, I20, L82)