User-Generated Content and Bias in News Media

In this study, we investigate a newspaper's decision to expand its product line by adding an online edition that incorporates user-generated content, and the impact of this decision on its slanting of news. We demonstrate that adding an online edition results in reduced profits for competing newspapers in comparison to an environment in which they offer only print editions. However, at the equilibrium, each newspaper offers the online version in order to avoid losing market share to rivals. The results also show the mitigating effect of such a product line extension on the extent of bias in print media.

Keywords: Media Competition, Bias in News, User-Generated Content, Product Line

JEL Classification: C7, L82, L1

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Yildirim, Pinar and Gal-Or, Esther and Geylani, Tansev, User-Generated Content and Bias in News Media (January 1, 2013). Management Science, 59:12, pp. 2655-2666, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1753942