Partisan Media and Support for Radical Protest Tactics Across Ideological Lines

Abstract

News coverage of protests varies widely, and public opinion on their democratic value evolves. While the protest paradigm outlines coverage norms, the hierarchy of social struggle shows that coverage favorability varies by group. This study explores factors influencing support for liberal and conservative protest groups, focusing on the relationship between media use and support for Black Lives Matter, Antifa, Proud Boys, and QAnon. Our findings reveal that higher general news consumption lowers support for protest groups, while conservative media use boosts support for conservative groups. Support for protest groups is linked to backing radical protests, indicating growing extreme political attitudes in the United States.