Keywords
Media economics, Imitation, Persuasion, Edutainment, Television, Radio, Internet
JEL Codes
A13, D01, D10, H4, I10, I20, J00, K42, L82, L96, O10
19.1. INTRODUCTION
Does television exposure impair educational achievement? Does violence in the media
trigger arousal and violent crime? Can media content affect deep-seated decisions like
fertility choices? Is there consistent evidence of imitation of media behavior?
Questions such as these, of relevance to both researchers and policymakers, have
motivated the literature on the impacts of media exposure. In this survey, we review this
literature, covering a wide range of economic and social outcomes and summarizing key
studies within each area. To maximize readability, we structure the content by