Media Access and Consumption in the Civil Rights Era
AEA Papers and Proceedings
vol. 112,
May 2022
(pp. 224-28)
Abstract
This paper uses the 1960 census and contemporary individual survey data to document the media landscape during the American civil rights movement. I find that southern Black households' TV ownership was much lower than those of other groups in the nation. Southern Black adults also consumed less TV, newspapers, and magazines on average than their White counterparts. In comparison, radio was the most popular medium among Black Southerners and was widely consumed across socioeconomic classes within the Black community. The findings underscore the unique and strong relationship between radio and the Southern Black community during the civil rights era.Citation
Wang, Tianyi. 2022. "Media Access and Consumption in the Civil Rights Era." AEA Papers and Proceedings, 112: 224-28. DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20221103Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- J15 Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
- L82 Entertainment; Media
- N32 Economic History: Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy: U.S.; Canada: 1913-
- N72 Economic History: Transport, Trade, Energy, Technology, and Other Services: U.S.; Canada: 1913-
- N92 Regional and Urban History: U.S.; Canada: 1913-
- R23 Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics: Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population; Neighborhood Characteristics