Information and Democracy: Public Policy in the News

Around the world, there are increasing concerns about the accuracy of media coverage. It is vital in representative democracies that citizens have access to reliable information about what is happening in government policy, so that they can form meaningful preferences and hold politicians accountable. Yet much research and conventional wisdom questions whether the necessary information is available, consumed, and understood. This study is the first large-scale empirical investigation into the frequency and reliability of media coverage in five policy domains, and it provides tools that can be exported to other areas, in the US and elsewhere. Examining decades of government spending, media coverage, and public opinion in the US, this book assesses the accuracy of media coverage, and measures its direct impact on citizens' preferences for policy. This innovative study has far-reaching implications for those studying and teaching politics as well as for reporters and citizens.

Author: Stuart N. Soroka, Christopher Wlezien
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 02/03/2022
Pages: 216
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.71lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.49d
ISBN13: 9781108811897
ISBN10: 1108811892
BISAC Categories:
- Political Science | American Government | General
- Language Arts & Disciplines | Journalism