Media Bias and Influence: Evidence from Newspaper Endorsements

Abstract

This paper investigates the relationship between media bias and the inuence of the media on voting in the context of newspaper endorsements. Werst develop a simple econometric model in which voters choose candidates under uncertainty and rely on endorsements from better informed sources. Newspapers are potentially biased in favor of one of the candidates and voters thus rationally ac- count for the credibility of any endorsements. Our primary empiricalnding is that endorsements are inuential in the sense that voters are more likely to support the recommended candidate after publication of the endorsement. The degree of this inuence, however, depends upon the credibility of the endorsement. In this way, endorsements for the Democratic candidate from left-leaning news- papers are less inuential than are endorsements from neutral or right-leaning or newspapers and likewise for endorsements for the Republican. Thesendings suggest that voters do rely on the media for information during campaigns but that the extent of this reliance depends upon the degree and direction of any bias.