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Democracy or videocracy? An econometric analysis of the role of television in the Italian political arena

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  • Sabatini, Fabio

Abstract

This paper contributes to the literature by carrying out the first econometric investigation into the role of television in the formation of political consensus in Italy. Based on probit and instrumental variables estimates, we find trust in television to be the most significant predictor of trust in the Italian prime minister. The latter is also strongly and negatively correlated with trust in the judicial system and tolerance towards immigrants.

Suggested Citation

  • Sabatini, Fabio, 2011. "Democracy or videocracy? An econometric analysis of the role of television in the Italian political arena," MPRA Paper 31117, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:31117
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    8. Angelo Antoci & Fabio Sabatini & Mauro Sodini, 2014. "Bowling alone but tweeting together: the evolution of human interaction in the social networking era," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 48(4), pages 1911-1927, July.
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    13. Sabatini Fabio, 2007. "The empirics of social capital and economic development: A critical perspective," wp.comunite 0031, Department of Communication, University of Teramo.
    14. Fabio, Sabatini, 2005. "The empirics of social capital and economic development: a critical perspective," MPRA Paper 2366, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Mar 2007.
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    19. Melikşah Demir & Lesley Weitekamp, 2007. "I am so Happy `cause Today I found my Friend: Friendship and Personality as Predictors of Happiness," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 8(2), pages 213-213, June.
    20. Damiano Fiorillo, 2008. "Le determinanti del capitale sociale in Italia," Rivista italiana degli economisti, Società editrice il Mulino, issue 1, pages 81-136.
    21. Sabatini, Fabio, 2011. "The relationship between happiness and health: evidence from Italy," AICCON Working Papers 91-2011, Associazione Italiana per la Cultura della Cooperazione e del Non Profit.
    22. Sabatini, Fabio, 2008. "Social Capital and the Labour Market," MPRA Paper 6582, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    23. Degli Antoni, Giacomo, 2009. "Does satisfaction matter? A microeconomic empirical analysis of the effect of social relations on economic welfare," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 301-309, March.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    trust; institutions; democracy; television; media; social capital; Italy; instrumental variables;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L82 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Entertainment; Media
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification
    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness

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