Crime News and Real-World Blues

Abstract

The impact of attention to television and newspaper crime news on public perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors pertaining to crime was investigated in the context of social reality concepts, using a two-wave panel survey of metropolitan-area adults. Greater attention to televised news was related to subsequent increased fear, concern, and avoidance activity. No such effects were found for newspaper crime news attention, although greater concern was related to subsequent increased readership.