The Effect of Independent Online Media in an Autocracy
Ruben Enikolopov (UPF, ICREA); Michael Rochlitz (University of Bremen); Koen Schoors (Ghent University); Nikita Zakharov (University of Freiburg)
Abstract
How do independent media affect regime support in an autocracy? We carry out two field experiments in Russia by promoting the country’s only independent online TV channel to a randomized sample of cities and individuals before the 2016 parliamentary elections. In both experiments, we find that independent media foster polarization, increasing turnout and progovernment votes among regime supporters, and reducing it for nonsupporters. The effect, however, holds only for voters who rely on news from social media; among consumers of traditional media, our treatment uniformly decreases regime support. Our results highlight how social media can mediate the effect of independent media in autocracies.