Endorse or Not to Endorse: Understanding the Determinants of Newspapers' Likelihood of Making Political Recommendations

This paper investigates the determinants of newspapers' provision for political endorsements. I empirically examine the role of newspapers' political preferences and market competition on newspapers' decision. Regression results suggest that market competition inhibits newspapers from making endorsements. Results from a simple model show that newspapers' ideology determine their endorsements, turning partisan papers more likely to make political recommendations and more likely to endorse challengers than non-partisan newspapers.