Mass media and public policy : global evidence from agricultural policies, Vol. 1 of 1

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Mass media and public policy : global evidence from agricultural policies

Author:	Olper, Alessandro; Swinnen, Johan;	Collection Title:	Policy Research working paper ; no. WPS 6362
Country:	World;	Date Stored:	2013/02/14
Document Date:	2013/02/01	Document Type:	Policy Research Working Paper
Language:	English	Region:	The World Region
Report Number:	WPS6362	SubTopics:	Public Sector Corruption & Anticorruption Measures; Economic Theory & Research; Population Policies; Language & Communication; Labor Policies
Volume No:	1 of 1

Summary: Mass media play a crucial role in information distribution and in the political market and public policy making. Theory predicts that information provided by the mass media reflects the media's incentives to provide news to different groups in society and affects these groups' influence in policy making. The paper use data on agricultural policy from 69 countries spanning a wide range of development stages and media markets to test these predictions. The empirical results are consistent with theoretical hypotheses that public support for agriculture is affected by the mass media. In particular, an increase in media (television) diffusion is associated with policies that benefit the majority to a greater extent and is correlated with a reduction in agriculture taxation in poor countries and a reduction in the subsidization of agriculture in rich countries, ceteris paribus. The empirical results are consistent with the hypothesis that increased competition in commercial media reduces transfers to special interest groups and contributes to more efficient public policies.


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