A well-informed public is crucial for a healthy democracy and a pluralistic media sector plays a key role in ensuring that voters are exposed to accurate and diverse news coverage. The way consumers access news has changed significantly in recent years with a significant proportion of news consumption now intermediated by online platforms. These social media players and search engines have enabled for an easier access to news and faster route to market for content creators, both of which can be a force for good. At the same time, online news intermediation has been accompanied by concerns that it is leading to a more polarised society with the spread of misinformation and algorithmic bias that undermine media plurality.
CRA economists Oliver Latham, Gaber Burnik, Hasnain Khaki, and academic Rafael Jiménez Durán have written a report for Ofcom on how the rise of digital platforms affects media plurality in news consumption. The report summarises findings from the academic literature on how consumption of news through online intermediaries impacts media plurality. To read the full report, click here.
