The public relies on the media to gauge government competence. This paper questions whether voters can truly distinguish between honest reporting and 'yes-man' coverage.
Finding:
Media outlets typically avoid criticizing governments due to reputational concerns.
*Conditions for Truthful Reporting:
- Low expected government competence;
- High probability of alternative information sources reaching voters.
Otherwise, Pandering Occurs:
Even reputable media may pander when these conditions aren't met. This effect is pronounced in lower-quality outlets.
Key Insight:
The 'yes-man' problem arises even without overt policy bias or capture.
