Selective exposure and hostile media perceptions during election campaigns

Publication Type
Journal contribution (peer reviewed)
Authors
Marko Bachl
Year of publication
2017
Published in
International Journal of Public Opinion Research
Band/Volume
29/2
DOI
10.1093/ijpor/edw014
Page (from - to)
252-262
Abstract

How partisans select and perceive political news during election campaigns is an important question in political communication research. This article interrelates two prominent concepts: the selective exposure and the hostile media paradigms. I argue that some media outlets are more likely than others to be selected based on political preferences and that the partisan leanings of these outlets are perceived as friendly by their audiences. Other outlets are selected regardless of political alignment. Here I expect to find hostile media perceptions. An analysis of representative survey data from the 2009 and 2013 German national election studies reveals support for the proposed pattern. However, the overall magnitudes of selective exposure and bias perceptions are limited in the campaigns under investigation.

Involved persons

Involved institutions

Further Information