Does Media Coverage Cause Meritorious Shareholder Litigation? Evidence from the Stock Option Backdating Scandal
Journal of Law & Economics, Vol. 64 (3), pp. 567-601, August 2021.
49 Pages Posted: 24 Jan 2021 Last revised: 12 Aug 2022
Date Written: November 25, 2020
Abstract
This study examines the role of media coverage on meritorious shareholder litigation. Asserting a causal effect of the media on litigation is normally difficult due to the endogenous nature of media coverage. However, we use the Wall Street Journal’s backdating coverage to overcome these issues. Using a matched sample of firms with similar probabilities of backdating and related government investigations, we find consistent evidence of a causal relation between media coverage and meritorious litigation. We also find a negative abnormal market reaction to the articles and conduct a variety of analyses to show that it was the content of the articles, rather than the coverage itself, that resulted in litigation. Our results demonstrate that the media serves an important role in corporate accountability that both disincentivizes misconduct and holds firms accountable.
Keywords: Media, Backdating, Shareholder Litigation
JEL Classification: J33, K22, K41, L82, M41, M52
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation