Do Television and Radio Destroy Social Capital? Evidence from Indonesian Villages

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of television and radio on social capital in Indonesia. I use two sources of variation in signal reception—one based on Indonesia's mountainous terrain, and a second based on the differential introduction of private television throughout Indonesia. I find that increased signal reception, which leads to more time watching television and listening to the radio, is associated with less participation in social organizations and with lower self-reported trust. Improved reception does not affect village governance, at least as measured by discussions in village meetings and by corruption in village road projects. (JEL L82, O15, Z13)