Previous research has suggested that partisan media affects voting behavior, but it is unclear exactly how it influences people’s views. The experiment provided evidence that partisan media outlets, by filtering out unflattering or negative information about their preferred ideological side, weaken the electorate’s ability to evaluate the performance of elected leaders. It also found evidence that, by setting the news agenda through its coverage choices, partisan media strongly influences the issues its viewers deem most pressing. A final survey, conducted two months after the incentivized period, offered little evidence that participants had continued watching CNN regularly. Many of the effects of watching CNN on their views and attitudes dissipated over time, the study finds.

Source: CNN April 20, 2022 21:06 UTC