JOURNAL ARTICLE

The Demand for News: Accuracy Concerns Versus Belief Confirmation Motives.

  • Published In: Economic Journal, 2024, v. 134, n. 661. P. 1806 1 of 3

  • Database: Business Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Chopra, Felix; Haaland, Ingar; Roth, Christopher 3 of 3

Abstract

This article investigates the relative influence of accuracy concerns and belief confirmation motives on the demand for political news among U.S. voters. Through large-scale experiments involving over 7,000 respondents who voted for either Joe Biden or Donald Trump in the 2020 election, the study varies perceptions of a news outlet's political bias—right-wing, left-wing, or unbiased—and measures demand for a newsletter featuring that outlet's articles. Results show that both Biden and Trump voters reduce their demand for politically biased news only when the bias conflicts with their own political views, indicating a trade-off between valuing accuracy and seeking confirmatory information. Structural modeling estimates suggest that accuracy concerns and belief confirmation motives carry roughly equal weight in shaping news demand, highlighting the complexity of media consumption preferences and their implications for media bias and political polarization.

Additional Information

  • Source:Economic Journal. 2024/06, Vol. 134, Issue 661, p1806
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Communication and Mass Media
  • Publication Date:2024
  • ISSN:0013-0133
  • DOI:10.1093/ej/ueae019
  • Accession Number:178321013
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