Jun Xiang, a University of Arizona graduate student in Communication, will soon have an article published in International Journal of Pubic Opinion Research. 

Xiang, J., & Hmielowski, J. D. (in press). Alternative views and eroding support: The conditional indirect effects of foreign media and Internet use on regime support in China. International Journal of Public Opinion Research.

Abstract:

Increased access to information poses a threat to authoritarian rulers’ hold on power. In this paper, we assess the relationship between use of the Internet and foreign media on regime support in China using data from the Asian Barometer survey. Based on the O-S-O-R model, we examine whether use of the Internet and foreign media correlate with lower levels of regime support, and whether there are indirect effects of media use through trust in the Chinese government. We also examine whether these indirect effects vary by national pride. Results show indirect effects through trust for the Internet and some evidence of an indirect effect for foreign media. We also find that national pride moderates the indirect effects of Internet use.