From Couch to Poll: Media Content and the Value of Local Information

Abstract

We document the importance of local information for the political engagement of citizens and accountability of politicians. Much of what is known about the role of local information comes from across-media-type comparisons---e.g., comparing television viewers to newspaper readers---and yet local content varies both within and across media type. Canadian television provides a unique opportunity to study the effect of content in a more ideal setting: until 1958, policy prioritized expanding network coverage by inhibiting competition in television markets---Canadians received either public or private television content, but never both, allowing us to separate the impact of media content from the impact of media type. We find that television reduces voter turnout, but the effect is exclusive to public television districts, where informational content is national in scope. Whereas private television content is distinctly local and more politically relevant to voters, and the resulting political engagement of the electorate improves the selection and incentives of politicians. We support this argument with evidence that politicians speak and act on behalf of their constituents in Parliament because of the local relevance of private television content. Our findings thus suggest that politicians are held accountable by relevant media content.