A Big Bird effect? The interaction among public broadcasting, public subsidies, and political knowledge
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6260637 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Patrick O’mahen, Patrick N O’mahen (0000-0002-2417-6057, University of Michigan, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2016 |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 311-332 |
| Publication date | 2016-05-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | European Political Science Review (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1755-7739 • E-ISSN: 1755-7747 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/s175577391500003x |
| OpenAlex | W2323558412 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 33 |
Policymakers in industrialized democracies often debate the efficacy of subsidizing public broadcasters. Surprisingly however, past media and politics research analyzing the effects of public broadcasting on political knowledge does not isolate the effect of subsidies and instead treats all public broadcasters as equals. This study theorizes that subsidized public broadcasters have to worry less about competing with entertainment-oriented commercial broadcasters for advertising revenue than their unsubsidized peers. As a result, they can focus on providing more comprehensive public affairs coverage instead of only worrying about attracting the largest possible audience. To test this theory, I use Eurobarometer data measuring knowledge, media consumption, and demographic variables from 14 countries. I find that watching public broadcasting increases knowledge levels among citizens, while decreasing gaps in knowledge between citizens caused by varying levels of education, income, gender, and political interest. However, as predicted, these benefits only occur in countries that provide significant subsidies for their public broadcasters
Advertising · Broadcasting (networking · Business · Consumption (sociology · Economic policy · Economics · Eurobarometer · Media consumption · Political science · Politics · Public broadcasting · Public economics · Public relations · Revenue · Social science · Sociology · Subsidy · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Media Influence and Politics · Social Media and Politics
Ideology and discontent
Comparing Media Systems
The Rational Public
On the Varieties and Utilities of Political Expertise
News Media Use and the Informed Public
An Introductory History of British Broadcasting
Who Owns the Media
Media Systems and the Political Information Environment
The Televised Deliberative Poll
Cross-National Variation in the Political Sophistication of Individuals
Learning about Politics from the Mass Media
The Knowledge Gap
Passive Learning
Bankrupt Rhetoric
Educated Guesses
Opinion polls, information effects, and political equality
Any Good News in Soft News? The Impact of Soft News Preference on Political Knowledge
Abandoning the Middle
Uninformed Votes
Measuring Political Sophistication
Measuring Political Knowledge
A Comparative Analysis of Political Communication Systems and Voter Turnout
Considered Opinions
Auntie Knows Best? Public Broadcasters and Current Affairs Knowledge
Homer Gets a Tax Cut
Explaining political sophistication
Political Ignorance and Collective Policy Preferences
Shortcuts Versus Encyclopedias
Busy Voters, Agenda Control, and the Power of Information
Measurement and Effects of Attention to Media News
| Citations per year | 0.11 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2017 - 2017 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |