Advising Policymakers Through the Media

21 Pages Posted: 10 Feb 2004

See all articles by Klaus F. Zimmermann

Klaus F. Zimmermann

Global Labor Organization (GLO); UNU-MERIT; Maastricht University, Department of Economics; Free University Berlin; University of Bonn; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); Journal of Population Economics

Date Written: January 2004

Abstract

In the information age an exchange with the media is part of the duties the economics profession has to deliver to educate the public and to ensure its position in society. A key issue is the education of policymakers through the media. It is the silver bullet of policy advice in comparison to commissioned research and face-to-face advice provided to the politician. It also pleases the vanity of the scientist: Few economists are willing to sacrifice the celebrity of public visibility to the effectiveness of face-to-face advice. The paper advertises for a stronger role of researchers in the public debate and suggests ways to become more influential. It is argued that in the long run agenda setting is a more promising strategy than reactive press activities.

Keywords: media activities, policy advice, educating the public, journalism

JEL Classification: A11, A20

Suggested Citation

Zimmermann, Klaus F., Advising Policymakers Through the Media (January 2004). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=500907 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.500907

Klaus F. Zimmermann (Contact Author)

Global Labor Organization (GLO) ( email )

Bonn
Germany

HOME PAGE: http://https://glabor.org/

UNU-MERIT ( email )

Keizer Karelplein 19
Maastricht, 6211TC
Netherlands

Maastricht University, Department of Economics ( email )

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Maastricht, Limburg 6200MD
Netherlands

University of Bonn

Postfach 2220
Bonn, D-53012
Germany

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

Journal of Population Economics

Tiergartenstr. 17
D-69121 Heidelberg
Germany

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