News Media Effects with a Broader Perspective: The Role of Information Environment on Political Knowledge in the Context of EP Elections

Given the expanding literature demonstrating news media as the major source of publics’ knowledge on political matters, the relationship between media and political knowledge becomes a compelling issue to delve into. Previous research substantiates that news media exposure have positive effects on knowledge gains and political participation. This study expands the argument scrutinizing the role of broader information environment on gaining political knowledge in the context of European Parliament elections. It incorporates characteristics of different media systems as an additional indicator of political knowledge about European polity among 27 member countries with a multilevel model. This model compounds cross-national media exposure data with aggregate level media system data in order to test the impact of broader information environment on gaining political knowledge about EU politics.