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The monitoring role of the media: Evidence from earnings management

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  • Yangyang Chen
  • C. S. Agnes Cheng
  • Shuo Li
  • Jingran Zhao

Abstract

In response to the recent debate on the media, this paper examines the effect of media coverage on firm earnings management. Even if prior studies (Dyck et al., 2010; Miller, 2006) have documented the media's role in detecting and deterring accounting fraud (or extreme earnings management), it is unclear ex ante whether the media amplifies or curbs less egregious earnings management. Our results show that media coverage is negatively associated with both accrual‐based and real earnings management, suggesting that the media serves as an external monitor that curbs managers’ opportunistic earnings management behaviors. Further analyses show that the effect of media coverage on earnings management is more pronounced when monitoring from auditors is weak and when the other information intermediaries are active. Overall, the findings suggest a monitoring role of the media in firm financial reporting practices.

Suggested Citation

  • Yangyang Chen & C. S. Agnes Cheng & Shuo Li & Jingran Zhao, 2021. "The monitoring role of the media: Evidence from earnings management," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(3-4), pages 533-563, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jbfnac:v:48:y:2021:i:3-4:p:533-563
    DOI: 10.1111/jbfa.12490
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    Cited by:

    1. Sun, Kunpeng & Wang, Dan & Xiao, Xing, 2022. "Another victory of retail investors: Social media's monitoring role on firms' earnings management," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    2. Danning Yu, 2023. "Media Coverage, Real Earnings Management, and Long-Run Market Performance: Evidence from Chinese IPOs," Asia-Pacific Financial Markets, Springer;Japanese Association of Financial Economics and Engineering, vol. 30(4), pages 729-760, December.
    3. Roberto Tommasetti & Rodrigo de Oliveira Leite & Vinicius Mothé Maia & Marcelo Alvaro da Silva Macedo, 2021. "Revisiting the Accounting Fraud Components: A Bottom-Up Approach Using the Twitter Platform," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(4), pages 21582440211, November.
    4. Chu, Gang & Dowling, Michael & Shen, Dehua & Zhang, Yongjie, 2023. "Information demand density matters: Evidence from the post-earnings announcement drift," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    5. Xiaolong Gu & Zhe An & Chen Chen & Donghui Li, 2023. "Do foreign institutional investors monitor opportunistic managerial behaviour? Evidence from real earnings management," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(1), pages 317-351, March.
    6. An, Yunbi & Jin, Han & Liu, Qingfu & Zheng, Kaixin, 2022. "Media attention and agency costs: Evidence from listed companies in China," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    7. Gao, Xin & Xu, Weidong & Li, Donghui, 2022. "Media coverage and corporate risk-taking: International evidence," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    8. Po‐Chang Chen & William J. Moser & Gans Narayanamoorthy, 2023. "Are all types of real transaction management equal in the eyes of bank lenders?," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(3-4), pages 680-715, March.

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