Media Competition and News Diets

B-Tier
Journal: American Economic Journal: Microeconomics
Year: 2024
Volume: 16
Issue: 2
Pages: 62-102

Authors (3)

Charles Angelucci (not in RePEc) Julia Cagé (Sciences Po) Michael Sinkinson (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

0.673 = (α=2.02 / 3 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Technological innovations like broadcast television and the internet challenge local newspapers' business model of bundling their local content with third-party content, such as wire national news. We examine how the entry of television affected newspapers and news diets in the United States. We construct a dataset of newspapers' economic performance and content choices from 1944 to 1964 and exploit quasi-random variation in the rollout of television to show its negative impact in the readership and advertising markets. Newspapers responded by reducing content, particularly local news. We tie this change to increased party vote share congruence between congressional and presidential elections.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aejmic:v:16:y:2024:i:2:p:62-102
Journal Field
General
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-25