Working Paper: NBER ID: w13878
Authors: James M. Snyder Jr.; David Strömberg
Abstract: In this paper we estimate the impact of press coverage on citizen knowledge, politicians' actions, and policy. We find that a poor fit between newspaper markets and political districts reduces press coverage of politics. We use variation in this fit due to redistricting to identify the effects of reduced coverage. Exploring the links in the causal chain of media effects -- voter information, politicians' actions and policy -- we find statistically significant and substantively important effects. Voters living in areas with less coverage of their U.S. House representative are less likely to recall their representative's name, and less able to describe and rate them. Congressmen who are less covered by the local press work less for their constituencies: they are less likely to stand witness before congressional hearings, to serve on constituency-oriented committees (perhaps), and to vote against the party line. Finally, this congressional behavior affects policy. Federal spending is lower in areas where there is less press coverage of the local members of congress.
Keywords: press coverage; political accountability; voter knowledge; media markets; redistricting
JEL Codes: D72; H5; L82
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| poor fit between newspaper markets and congressional districts (H73) | reduced press coverage of local representatives (H79) |
| reduced press coverage of local representatives (H79) | less likely to recall representatives' names and provide meaningful evaluations (D79) |
| reduced press coverage of local representatives (H79) | less active politicians in constituencies (D72) |
| less active politicians in constituencies (D72) | lower participation in congressional hearings and constituency-oriented committees (D72) |
| behavior of congressmen (D72) | influences policy (D78) |
| less press coverage (P17) | lower federal spending in districts (H77) |
| increasing congruence from zero to one (C62) | 50% increase in articles written about representatives (D72) |
| increasing congruence from zero to one (C62) | 30% increase in voters' ability to name candidates (K16) |
| increasing congruence from zero to one (C62) | 10% increase in federal spending per capita (H56) |