Smart People Watch PBS – Idiots Watch Fox (VIDEO)

There could be a link between public broadcasting and societal well-being according to a report from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).

The research looked at data from 2014 (and several earlier years) across Europe to find significant relationships between public service media (PSM) and indicators of a healthy society. These factors included trust in media, freedom of the press, voter turnout, corruption, and right-wing extremism.

The Benefits Of Public Broadcasting

The report states that countries with strong PSM enjoy many benefits. Freedom of the press is one such advantage:

“Countries where PSM funding per capita is higher, there tends to be more press freedom.”

The report also shows that as the amount of PSM rises, so does voter turnout during elections:

“According to our correlation analysis, in those countries where PSM organizations have a higher market share, there also tends to be a higher voter turnout.”

The report details a correlation between PSM and corruption:

“In those countries where PSM has a higher TV organization market share, corruption tends to be more under control.”

It also displays a link between the level of PSM radio and trust in radio (and to a lesser degree television) as a news medium:

“In countries where the market share of the local PSM radio organization is higher, trust in radio also tends to be higher.”

Europeans see internet and print media as less trustworthy. They view online social networks as the least trustworthy of all.

Public Broadcasting & Extremism

Perhaps most significant of their findings though, is the link between media and right-wing extremism:

“In countries where PSM TV organization market share is higher, the demand for right-wing extremism…tends to be lower.”

The report lists the correlation as “strong.” Though they are clear about the fact that correlation does not equal causation, the authors of the report also note that there is an implication that the factors relate to one another in some way. This in itself forms a sturdy argument for supporting public media:

“This is an important observation, suggesting that where PSM is valued more by citizens, communities also tend to be more cohesive.”

It’s not the most surprising find. It’s good, however, for making the case that a well informed population is a better population overall.

This video highlights the essence of the report’s findings:

Featured image: Operating Eurovision and Euroradio