Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/73781 
Authors: 
Year of Publication: 
2011
Series/Report no.: 
ifo Working Paper No. 104
Publisher: 
ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, Munich
Abstract: 
Previous studies found the introduction of the today well established media radio and television to affect political participation. This paper evaluates the effect of the relatively recent introduction of a new medium, broadband internet. OLS resultssuggest a positive association between DSL availability and voter participationacross German municipalities. However, the roll-out of DSL networks is not random. The paper exploits the fact that DSL availability depends on a unicipality’s distance to the nearest interconnection point to the existing voice-telephony network. Instrumental-variable results using this distance to predict DSL availability confirm the effect of DSL availability on voter participation.
Subjects: 
Broadband internet
political economics
media
voting behaviour
JEL: 
D72
L96
O33
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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