The House that Fox News Built?
Representation, Political Accountability, and the Rise of Partisan News

Interrogates the presumed power of partisan news and investigates Fox News' influence on political elites in the United States.

Kevin Arceneaux (Author), Johanna Dunaway (Author), Martin Johnson (Author), Ryan J. Vander Wielen (Author)

9781009432085, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 13 February 2025

246 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.8 cm, 0.471 kg

'Through a very careful examination of how Fox spread, when candidates emerged, who appeared, and what their comments were and through analyses of votes in Congress, this study concludes that Fox has had an impact in promoting and supporting a conservative tilt across districts. … Recommended.' J. M. Stonecash, CHOICE

The influence of partisan news is presumed to be powerful, but evidence for its effects on political elites is limited, often based more on anecdotes than science. Using a rigorous quasi-experimental research design, observational data, and open science practices, this book carefully demonstrates how the re-emergence and rise of partisan cable news in the US affected the behavior of political elites during the rise and proliferation of Fox News across media markets between 1996 and 2010. Despite widespread concerns over the ills of partisan news, evidence provides a nuanced, albeit cautionary tale. On one hand, findings suggest that the rise of Fox indeed changed elite political behavior in recent decades. At the same time, the limited conditions under which Fox News' influence occurred suggests that concerns about the network's power may be overstated.

Preface
1. A new sheriff in town?
2. The roll out of fox news and its content
3. Did fox news influence the decision to run for congress?
4. Did fox news influence how members of congress voted on legislation?
5. Did fox news affect dyadic representation?
6. Did fox news affect collective representation?
7. Politicians are people, too.

Subject Areas: Constitution: government & the state [JPHC]