Is news bias fueled by journalists supplying slanted views or readers’ demanding them? An economist weighs in

This is clear evidence of supply-driven media bias. Editorial choices aren’t just a response to reader demand; they reflect a publication’s ideological leanings. This influences which stories get highlighted, and which narratives dominate public discourse. (The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal did not respond to requests for comment as of publication time.)

Determining whether media bias is caused by supply or demand issues isn’t just an academic game. It has profound real-world implications.

Most important, it can help the public understand how competition in the media industry affects bias. If bias is mostly about publications responding to demand, more competition could actually make the problem worse, as outlets vie to cater to the specific preferences of their audiences.

On the other hand, if bias is largely supply-driven, competition could be a corrective. That’s because in a competitive market, media outlets have incentives to appeal to the broadest possible audience, which means bias is bad for business.

The recent waves of consolidation in the media industry, coupled with the noticeable rise in perceptions of media bias over the past decade, seems to support the supply-side argument. As fewer companies control more of the media landscape, outlets have less of an incentive to maintain a broad, unbiased approach.

Tin Cheuk Leung receives funding from Center for Technology, Innovation and Competition (CTIC) from the University of Pennsylvania and the Knight Foundation for another project unrelated to the story.