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Labor Supply and Entertainment Innovations: Evidence from the US TV Rollout

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  • George Fenton
  • Felix Koenig

Abstract

We study the impact of entertainment technology on labor supply. Using Social Security work histories and a natural experiment arising from the regulated US rollout of television, we estimate that a station launch reduced the probability of working by around 0.3 percentage points, driven mainly by an increase in older-age-group retirement rates. The results support the hypothesis that television's rise contributed to the midcentury transition of retirement from a necessity to "golden years" of enjoyment. Our findings indicate that entertainment innovations have a less pronounced effect on overall labor supply trends than model calibrations in the previous literature suggest.

Suggested Citation

  • George Fenton & Felix Koenig, 2025. "Labor Supply and Entertainment Innovations: Evidence from the US TV Rollout," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 17(4), pages 1-28, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejapp:v:17:y:2025:i:4:p:1-28
    DOI: 10.1257/app.20230377
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies
    • L82 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Entertainment; Media
    • N32 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - U.S.; Canada: 1913-

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