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When News Matters: Media Effects on Public Support for European Union Enlargement in 21 Countries
Author(s) -
AZROUT RACHID,
VAN SPANJE JOOST,
DE VREESE CLAES
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
jcms: journal of common market studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.54
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1468-5965
pISSN - 0021-9886
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-5965.2012.02255.x
Subject(s) - resizing , moderation , immigration , perception , european union , public support , content analysis , political science , natural experiment , panel survey , social media , psychology , social psychology , demographic economics , business , sociology , public relations , economics , medicine , social science , pathology , law , economic policy , neuroscience
First, this study tests for media effects on support for EU enlargement in a natural setting, while including actual media content in the analysis. Second, the moderation by anti‐immigrant attitudes of media effects is tested, as it is argued that perceptions of ‘others’ influences how new information on enlargement is received. The study draws on a two‐wave panel survey and a media content analysis in 21 countries. The results suggest there is a media effect, although not from individual exposure but from the information environment. In addition, individuals with stronger anti‐immigrant attitudes are more strongly affected by a negative information environment.