The Impact of Media Cues on Right-Wing Populist Parties: The Role of Cynicism and Issue Ownership

Right-wing populist parties have seen increasing electoral support across Europe in the last decades. Several studies have supported the notion that populist mass media cues might add to their success. This study adds to the existing literature in two ways. First, it examines the role of cynicism in mass media effects on far-right populist party support, testing whether if functions as a mediator or a moderator. Second it investigates the extent to which issues matter. Issue ownership theory posits that parties have more to gain on issues they own - that is, where the public sees them as capable. Using an experimental design (n=1300) the study tests whether cynicism mediates or moderates the impact of media cues on far-right populist party support, and whether exposure to media cues has a larger effect on party support for owned (e.g. crime) versus unowned (e.g. education) issues.