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Media exposure and internal migration — Evidence from Indonesia

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  • Farré, Lídia
  • Fasani, Francesco

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of television on internal migration in Indonesia. We exploit the differential introduction of private television throughout the country and the variation in signal reception due to topography to estimate the causal effect of media exposure. Our estimates reveal important long and short run effects. An increase of one standard deviation in the number of private TV channels received in the area of residence as an adolescent reduces future inter-provincial migration by 1.7–2.7 percentage points, and all migration (inter and intra-provincial) by 3.9–6.8 percentage points. Short run effects are similar in magnitude. We also show that respondents less exposed to private television are more likely to consider themselves among the poorest groups in society. As we discuss in a stylized model of migration choice under imperfect information, these findings are consistent with Indonesian citizens over-estimating the net gains from internal migration when access to television is limited.

Suggested Citation

  • Farré, Lídia & Fasani, Francesco, 2013. "Media exposure and internal migration — Evidence from Indonesia," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 48-61.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:deveco:v:102:y:2013:i:c:p:48-61
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2012.11.001
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Information; Migration decisions; Television;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • L82 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Entertainment; Media
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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