Social Media and Digital Collaboration

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Paper Type

Short

Paper Number

2317

Description

This paper aims to uncover the effect of social TV (viewers’ social media use during a live TV) on news show viewership, as well as the theoretical pathways by which it has effects. We also examine the interaction of social TV and false remarks in connection with increasing opinionated reporting, even false reporting, in news shows. To overcome long-lasting endogeneity challenges that have prevented uncovering the true effect of social TV, we develop a cross-city peer effect model with instrumental variable estimation. Our preliminary results show that social TV increases viewership by drawing more viewers; no effect on current viewers’ viewing time. The interaction effect of social TV and false remarks is positively significant and is stronger to viewers in politically opposing cities. Our findings provide important understanding of the recent social TV phenomenon and call for attention to significant economic incentives for virality and false news in news shows.

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11-SocMedia

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Dec 14th, 12:00 AM

Economics of Social TV and False News: Social TV Effect on News Show Viewership and its Interaction with False News

This paper aims to uncover the effect of social TV (viewers’ social media use during a live TV) on news show viewership, as well as the theoretical pathways by which it has effects. We also examine the interaction of social TV and false remarks in connection with increasing opinionated reporting, even false reporting, in news shows. To overcome long-lasting endogeneity challenges that have prevented uncovering the true effect of social TV, we develop a cross-city peer effect model with instrumental variable estimation. Our preliminary results show that social TV increases viewership by drawing more viewers; no effect on current viewers’ viewing time. The interaction effect of social TV and false remarks is positively significant and is stronger to viewers in politically opposing cities. Our findings provide important understanding of the recent social TV phenomenon and call for attention to significant economic incentives for virality and false news in news shows.

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