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More Channels, Lower Scores: Entertainment Television and Student Achievement

Author

Listed:
  • Andrea Caria
  • Daniele Checchi
  • Dimitri Paolini
  • Paolo Pinotti

Abstract

We study the effects of expanded entertainment television on children's academic performance leveraging the staggered transition from analog to digital TV across Italian provinces between 2008 and 2012, which greatly increased children's entertainment content, and administrative data on standardized test scores for entire cohorts of primary and middle school students. Availability of digital TV reduced literacy and math performance by 0.08 and 0.12 standard deviations, respectively, implying effects of −0.20 and −0.30 standard deviations among children who acquired access to digital TV along the transition. Effects are larger among younger children and among students attending school only in the morning.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrea Caria & Daniele Checchi & Dimitri Paolini & Paolo Pinotti, 2026. "More Channels, Lower Scores: Entertainment Television and Student Achievement," CESifo Working Paper Series 12743, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_12743
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • L82 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Entertainment; Media

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