Applied Micro Seminar
Time:12.15 – 13.30
Date: 09th of January 2022
Room 3001

Elisa MOUGIN (Sciences-Po) “TV in Times of Political Uncertainty: Evidence from the 2017 Elections in Kenya”

Abstract : What is the impact of television in periods of political crisis? This paper studies the nullification of the 2017 presidential election in Kenya and the organization of a repeat ballot, that triggered a wave of protests and dramatically raised uncertainty. I exploit the expansion of television since 2013 and estimate a difference-in-differences model using as outcomes turnout in the first and the repeat ballot separately. I find that TV didn’t impact turnout in the first election but that it heterogeneously influenced voters in the repeat election. Turnout decreased by 4% in pro-opposition regions but was 7% higher in pro-government bastions. Using text analysis methods, I document the emphasis put on the crisis by TV channels, and explore the interaction between direct and indirect expo- sure to conflict. I argue that social coordination through collective exposure to TV could amplify the influence of the broadcasts.

Organizer:
Arne UHLENDORFF (CREST)

Sponsors:
CREST