Academic Journal
Conservative News Media and Criminal Justice: Evidence from Exposure to the Fox News Channel.
| Title: | Conservative News Media and Criminal Justice: Evidence from Exposure to the Fox News Channel. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Ash, Elliott1 (AUTHOR), Poyker, Michael2 (AUTHOR) mikhail.poyker@austin.utexas.edu |
| Source: | Economic Journal. May2024, Vol. 134 Issue 660, p1331-1355. 25p. |
| Abstract: | Local exposure to conservative news causes judges to impose harsher criminal sentences. Our evidence comes from an instrumental variable analysis, where randomness in television channel positioning across localities induces exogenous variation in exposure to the Fox News Channel. These treatment data on news viewership are taken to outcome data on almost seven million criminal sentencing decisions in the United States for the years 2005–17. Higher Fox News viewership increases incarceration length, and the effect is stronger for Black defendants and for drug-related crimes. We can rule out changes in the behaviour of police, prosecutors or potential offenders as significant drivers. Consistent with changes in voter attitudes as the key mechanism, the effect on sentencing harshness is observed for elected (but not appointed) judges. Fox News viewership also increases self-reported beliefs about the importance of drug crime as a social problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Subject Terms: | Criminal evidence, Television program ratings, Criminal sentencing, Attitude change (Psychology), Judges, Imprisonment |
| Company/Entity: | Fox News |
| Copyright of Economic Journal is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| ISSN: | 00130133 |
| DOI: | 10.1093/ej/uead108 |
| Database: | Business Source Complete |
Availability