Today is primary day and 3.5 million Flori

Thursday, May 04, 2006

MEDIA: Independent voters are well read.....




Red Media, Blue Media
Evidence for a Political Litmus Test in Online News Readership
By Shanto Iyengar and Richard MorinWednesday, May 3, 2006 -- Thirty years ago, you had to visit the public library to read something other than your local newspaper. Today, thanks to information technology, newspapers, radio and television networks the world over are no more that a keystroke away. Does this dramatic expansion of available news outlets mean that Americans -- and others worldwide -- will be exposed to a more diverse "marketplace of ideas," gain familiarity with new points of view and become more tolerant? Or will consumers stick with their preferred (politically compatible) news sources while screening out those sites offering unfamiliar or disagreeable information and perspectives?
...Finally, independents lived up to their designation. The effects of story labeling on their selections was miniscule. Most independents had no news preferences; they typically selected the "can't say" option....
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