Embedded Files
Abstract:
Media reports often quote policymakers or independent experts when discussing proposed policies. Because these sources carry authority, strategically selecting them can be a driver of media bias. We conduct an online experiment using real news articles to examine how quoting experts versus politicians affects readers’ policy perceptions and information-acquisition behaviour. We find that politician quotes politicise technocratic issues and decrease support for technocratic decision-making. They can also make readers more likely to select partisan rather than independent information sources, though the effects vary by readers’ partisanship and by policy type.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse