Entertainment, News, and Income Inequality: How Colombian Media Shape Perceptions of Income Inequality and Why It Matters

Abstract

This study integrates theories of mass-media effects with research on relative deprivation to explore the relationship between media exposure, perceptions of inequality, and political outcomes. Based on a representative sample of the Colombian adult population (N = 1,031), this study shows a negative relationship between news exposure and perceptions of income inequality but also a positive link between entertainment content and citizens’ understanding of income gaps. Moreover, our findings suggest that more realistic perceptions of inequality, shaped by media exposure, are positively associated with redistributive policy and participation behaviors, with a moderating role of socioeconomic stratum.