Do Television and Radio Destroy Social Capital? Evidence from Indonesian Villages

American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 2009, vol. 1, issue 4, 1-33

Abstract: This paper investigates the impact of television and radio on social capital in Indonesia. I use two sources of variation in signal reception -- one based on Indonesia's mountainous terrain, and a second based on the differential introduction of private television throughout Indonesia. I find that increased signal reception, which leads to more time watching television and listening to the radio, is associated with less participation in social organizations and with lower self-reported trust. Improved reception does not affect village governance, at least as measured by discussions in village meetings and by corruption in village road projects. (JEL L82, O15, Z13)

JEL-codes: L82 O15 Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
Note: DOI: 10.1257/app.1.4.1
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (183)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Do Television and Radio Destroy Social Capital? Evidence from Indonesian Villages (2006)
Working Paper: Do Television and Radio Destroy Social Capital? Evidence from Indonesian Villages (2006)
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