How Many Quantitative Researchers Does it Take to Figure Out if Entertainment Media Has Political Consequences?

Consumption of traditional news has declined precipitously over the last decade or so, even as its content has shifted from "hard" to "soft" news. Public trust in journalism has eroded at an even greater pace. Into the breach has stepped a host of new or reinvented entertainment genres that address contemporary public issues, events and people. As a result, efforts at uncovering what if any influence entertainment media has on public opinion, knowledge and action has increased in recent years. This paper will critically review the extant research on this topic that has used quantitative social science methods. My goals are to (1) provide an overview of current findings, as well as gaps in our knowledge; (2) explore the strengths and limits of the quantitative approach, both in general and as they specifically apply to the study of entertainment media as a form of political communication; and (3) suggest multi-method approaches that might build on the utility of quantitative research while addressing its shortcomings. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]