Media policy and political polarization

Does media policy impact the rising political polarization in the United States? The US Congress passed The Telecommunications Act of 1996 that comprehensively overhauled US media policy for the first time since 1934, resulting in relaxed ownership regulations intended to spur competition between cable and telephone telecommunications systems. This deregulation allowed for more television channels on cable TV systems, including the inception of partisan news outlets like Fox News and MSNBC.

In today’s media environment, people have a wealth of information at their disposal. The increase in the number of...