Media Diet and Polarisation: Evidence from Spain

Abstract

ABSTRACT Does media diet diversity influence affective polarisation of the public? To test this hypothesis we analyse data from Spain, which like other South European countries has a highly politicised media system. The study operationalises media diet diversity based on survey and web-tracking data. It considers diversity both in terms of the quantity of media consumed and exposure to opposing viewpoints using the two politico-ideological dimensions that conventionally define Spanish politics: left–right and centre–periphery. The results are rather complex and show certain ambivalence. As expected, a more diverse media diet generally tends to depolarise individuals; however, when considering the centre-periphery dimension, we find that media diet diversity can further exacerbate polarisation. That highlights the role identities can play as a potential source of polarisation.