Auntie Knows Best? Public Broadcasters and Current Affairs Knowledge

TLDR

Public service broadcasters (PSBs) are a central part of national news media landscapes and are often regarded as specialists in the provision of hard news. The study investigates whether exposure to public versus commercial news influences citizens’ knowledge of current affairs, using cross‑national surveys of knowledge and media consumption. Propensity‑score analyses of cross‑national survey data were used to test the effect of PSBs on knowledge and to examine variations among PSBs. PSBs positively influence hard‑news knowledge relative to commercial news, but effectiveness varies across countries, linked to de‑jure independence, public financing proportion, and audience share.

Abstract

Public service broadcasters (PSBs) are a central part of national news media landscapes, and are often regarded as specialists in the provision of hard news. But does exposure to public versus commercial news influence citizens’ knowledge of current affairs? This question is investigated in this article using cross-national surveys capturing knowledge of current affairs and media consumption. Propensity score analyses test for effects of PSBs on knowledge, and examine whether PSBs vary in this regard. Results indicate that compared to commercial news, PSBs have a positive influence on knowledge of hard news, though not all PSBs are equally effective in this way. Cross-national differences are related to factors such as de jure independence, proportion of public financing and audience share.