Perceptions of the Media and the Public and their Effects on Political Participation in Colombia

Abstract

This study investigates whether perceptions of the media and the public are related to political participation in Colombia. Communication researchers have built a large body of literature on hostile media perceptions and the projection effect, respectively. This study links these perceptual effects with each other and with political participation. Analyzing survey data from a representative sample of Colombian adults in urban areas, we show a direct relationship between hostile media perceptions and participation but no direct relationship between projection and participation. Hostile media perceptions and projection are negatively related. Results suggest that perceived media bias attenuates projection but increases political engagement.

Notes

¹We also fit a model that includes a persuasive press inference variable. Results show that while this model was a good empirical fit, χ²(6) = 9.274, p = .159 (goodness of fit index = .997, comparative fit index = .996, root mean square error of approximation = .025, p = .900, standardized root mean square residual = .016), it does not perform substantially better than the reported model, and the persuasive press inference variable was not significantly related to any endogenous variable except for HMP. We opted to report the results for the more parsimonious model.

²We performed a statistical comparison between included and excluded cases. Results show that excluded respondents are more likely to be female, tend to be older, and score lower on the political knowledge scale.

³We fit a null model without the path between HMP and political participation. The model is not a good empirical fit, χ²(5) = 20.706, p = .001, and is less efficient than the reported model (AIC = 22723.716, AIC_null = 22734.657).

⁴We fit a null model without the path between HMP and political participation. The model is not a good empirical fit, χ²(5) = 20.706, p = .001, and is less efficient than the reported model (AIC = 22723.716, AIC_null = 22734.657).

⁵A null model without the relationship between HMP and projection was fit, and results show a negative relationship between ideological extremity and projection (γ = − .136, p < .001).

⁶We tested an alternative model that reverses the causal order between HMP and political talk diversity (Eveland & Shah, 2003). Once again, results show a poor model fit, χ²(5) = 160.120, p < .001.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Matthew Barnidge

Matthew Barnidge is a doctoral candidate in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at University of Wisconsin–Madison. His research interests include digital media, social influence and public opinion; participatory journalism and user-generated content; and international communication and comparative politics.

Ben Sayre

Ben Sayre is a doctoral candidate in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at University of Wisconsin–Madison. His research interests include social network analysis, big data, and political communication.

Hernando Rojas

Hernando Rojas (Ph.D., University of Wisconsin–Madison, 2006) is a Professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at University of Wisconsin–Madison, affiliated with the Latin American, Caribbean and Iberian Studies program and Global Studies. His scholarship focuses on political communication, in particular examining: the deployment of new communication technologies for social mobilization in a variety of contexts; the influence of audience perceptions of media (and audience perceptions of media effects) on both public opinion and the structure of the public sphere; and the conditions under which media support democratic governance.