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Regulation of Speech and Media Coverage of Corruption: An Empirical Analysis of the Mexican Press

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  • Piero Stanig

Abstract

Restrictions to media freedom, in the form of repressive defamation legislation, are thought to affect the amount of information about corruption that the media report. Exploiting variation in regulation of speech across states in a federal country, Mexico, and using a novel data set based on content analysis of the local press, I estimate the effect of lack of freedom on the coverage devoted to acts of malfeasance by public officials. Corruption receives significantly less attention in states with a more repressive defamation law. Instrumental variable models corroborate the interpretation of the negative association between regulation and coverage as a causal “chilling effect.”

Suggested Citation

  • Piero Stanig, 2015. "Regulation of Speech and Media Coverage of Corruption: An Empirical Analysis of the Mexican Press," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 59(1), pages 175-193, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:amposc:v:59:y:2015:i:1:p:175-193
    DOI: 10.1111/ajps.12110
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    3. Jonathan A. Solis & Leonardo Antenangeli, 2017. "Corruption Is Bad News for a Free Press: Reassessing the Relationship Between Media Freedom and Corruption," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 98(3), pages 1112-1137, September.
    4. Adam Szeidl & Ferenc Szucs, 2021. "Media Capture Through Favor Exchange," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 89(1), pages 281-310, January.
    5. Michael McCullough & Joshua Berning & Jason L. Hanson, 2019. "Learning By Brewing: Homebrewing Legalization And The Brewing Industry," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 37(1), pages 25-39, January.
    6. Eraslan, Hulya & Ozerturk, Saltuk, 2017. "Information Gatekeeping and Media Bias," Working Papers 17-001, Rice University, Department of Economics.
    7. Heng Chen & Li Han, 2022. "Do the Media Bow to Foreign Economic Powers? Evidence from a News Website Crackdown," HKUST CEP Working Papers Series 202201, HKUST Center for Economic Policy.
    8. Louis-Sidois, Charles & Mougin, Elisa, 2023. "Silence the media or the story? Theory and evidence of media capture," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    9. Schulze, Günther G. & Zakharov, Nikita, 2023. "Political cycles of media repression," BOFIT Discussion Papers 3/2023, Bank of Finland Institute for Emerging Economies (BOFIT).

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