Economic news How it's made and how it matters

Economic news matters. People rely on the media to get information about how the economy is doing, especially when other sources such as first-hand experiences are not available to them. The content of economic news, however, is not a complete reflection of economic reality. In fact, it is characterized by some persistent biases, most notably an overrepresentation of negative news. As economic reality and economic news tend to diverge, economic news may provoke unique effects on public opinion, above and beyond the impact of real economic conditions. These effects are not limited to economic opinions as also people’s political attitudes are sensitive to economic information. This dissertation focuses on the interplay between economic news, economic reality, and public opinion, by addressing the question: How does the content of economic news relate to real economic conditions, and what are the subsequent consequences and the underlying causes of this content to which most citizens are exposed on a daily basis?