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Cautionary tales: Celebrities, the news media, and participation in tax amnesties

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  • Garz, Marcel
  • Pagels, Verena

Abstract

This study investigates whether press coverage on celebrities with tax issues affects the behavior of other tax payers. We compile an original data set for Germany, including regional information on the amount of tax payers using amnesty regulations to voluntarily disclose taxes they have evaded. The data set also includes counts of news reports published by 6 national and 54 local newspapers that address celebrity tax evaders who were publicly tried between January 2010 and June 2016. We find a strong correlation between the amount of self-denunciations and the news coverage. To identify the causal effect, we use exogenous variation in the reporting, resulting from disasters and terrorist attacks that coincide with the celebrity trials. Instrumental variable estimates suggest that an increase in news coverage by the amount of an average trial raises participation in the tax amnesty program by approximately 22.5%. This finding helps to better understand the effectiveness of tax amnesties, and it illustrates the economic implications of publicly trying famous personalities.

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  • Garz, Marcel & Pagels, Verena, 2018. "Cautionary tales: Celebrities, the news media, and participation in tax amnesties," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 288-300.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:155:y:2018:i:c:p:288-300
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2018.09.001
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    Cited by:

    1. Miloš Fišar & Tommaso Reggiani & Fabio Sabatini & Jiří Špalek, 2022. "Media negativity bias and tax compliance: experimental evidence," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 29(5), pages 1160-1212, October.
    2. Fauser, Hannes & Godar, Sarah, 2021. "Income tax noncompliance in Germany, 2001-2014," Discussion Papers 2021/17, Free University Berlin, School of Business & Economics.
    3. Garz, Marcel & Maaß, Sabrina, 2021. "Cartels in the European Union, antitrust action, and public attention," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 186(C), pages 533-547.
    4. Jetter, Michael & Walker, Jay K., 2022. "News coverage and mass shootings in the US," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    5. Alexander Cardazzi & Joshua Martin & Zachary Rodriguez, 2021. "Information Avoidance and Celebrity Exposure: The Effect of "Magic" Johnson on AIDS Diagnoses and Mortality in the U.S," Working Papers 21-04, Department of Economics, West Virginia University.
    6. Avdiu, Besart & Gruhle, Tobias, 2022. "Contagion and information frictions in emerging markets: The role of joint signals," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 147-173.
    7. Patricia Gil & Justin Holz & John List & Andrew Simon & Alejandro Zentner, 2023. "Toward an Understanding of Tax Amnesties: Theory and Evidence from a Natural Field Experiment," Natural Field Experiments 00772, The Field Experiments Website.
    8. Garz, Marcel & Schneider, Andrea, 2023. "Data sharing and tax enforcement: Evidence from short-term rentals in Denmark," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    9. Avdiu, Besart & Gruhle, Tobias, 2018. "Contagion and Information Frictions in Emerging Markets: The Role of Joint Signals," VfS Annual Conference 2018 (Freiburg, Breisgau): Digital Economy 181570, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    10. Aparicio, Juan P. & Jetter, Michael, 2020. "Captivating News in Colombia," IZA Discussion Papers 13834, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Aparicio, Juan P. & Jetter, Michael, 2022. "Captivating news: Media attention and FARC kidnappings," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 69-81.
    12. Oliver Nnamdi Okafor, 2023. "Shaming of Tax Evaders: Empirical Evidence on Perceptions of Retributive Justice and Tax Compliance Intentions," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 182(2), pages 377-395, January.
    13. Alexander Cardazzi & Joshua C. Martin & Zachary Rodriguez, 2023. "Information shocks and celebrity exposure: The effect of “Magic” Johnson on AIDS diagnoses and mortality in the U.S," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(9), pages 2047-2079, September.
    14. Giorgio Gulino & Federico Masera, 2023. "Contagious Dishonesty: Corruption Scandals and Supermarket Theft," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 15(4), pages 218-251, October.
    15. Jetter, Michael & Walker, Jay K., 2018. "The Effect of Media Coverage on Mass Shootings," IZA Discussion Papers 11900, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    16. Rui Bruno Santos, 2023. "A Bibliometric Analysis between Communication and Tax Compliance," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 7(6), pages 321-334, June.
    17. Avdiu, Besart & Gruhle, Tobias, 2018. "Contagion and information frictions in emerging markets: the role of joint signals," MPRA Paper 84872, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    News coverage; Public trial; Self-denunciation; Tax evasion;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • K34 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Tax Law
    • L82 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Entertainment; Media

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