Efforts to reduce partisanship within American government have usually failed. … But one thing that may actually make a difference in politicians’ partisan behavior hasn’t received much attention. That would be journalistic coverage of politics. …
The upshot of this is that ideologically extreme elected officials are more vulnerable to defeat where there is better journalistic coverage. They have greater incentive to behave as moderates if they know that voters are watching. [cont.]
Seth Masket (U. of Denver), Pacific Standard