Media and Polarization
Exposure to different media can reduce ideological polarization
A new RCT in Türkiye, one of the most politically polarized countries in the world, studied the effect of diversifying citizens’ news exposure. The researchers encouraged citizens to access different media outlets (pro-governmental or independent/oppositional) for 7 months and found that diversifying news exposure reduced long-term ideological polarization (but not long-term affective polarization). Participants assigned to independent media outlets developed more favorable attitudes towards opposition parties, and those assigned to pro-government outlets developed more favorable attitudes towards the ruling party. However, the intervention had limited impact on voting intentions and did not affect participants’ perceptions of democratic institutions -- although consumers of strongly pro-government media were more likely to report satisfaction with democracy in Türkiye. This study suggests that encouraging regular online access to media outlets with different political standpoints can reduce political polarization, but it also demonstrates the potential for pro-government media to encourage satisfaction with low levels of democracy.
Exposure to countervailing facts can moderate attitudes
The insights from the study in Türkiye merit attention as most field research on the impact of increasing media consumption across ideological lines has been conducted in democratic contexts. For example, this 2022 RCT study in the U.S. exposed FOX News viewers to CNN for a month, hypothesizing that exposure to CNN counternarratives may backfire and increase polarization due to motivated reasoning. Instead, the researchers found that exposure to countervailing facts significantly increased learning and moderated attitudes, defying predictions of motivated reasoning. This study suggests that a balanced news diet can help reduce political polarization.
Do you have a study we should share for a future Facty Friday? Send an email to drg.el@usaid.gov.