Testing the Effect of Cross-cutting Exposure to Cable TV News on Affective Polarization: Evidence from the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election

This study tests whether the consequences of cross-cutting exposure (CCE) to political news on affective polarization depend on the type of media individuals consume. Findings from the 2020 American National Election Studies panel data suggest that CCE to cable TV news, a medium frequently described as uncivil, may increase negative affect toward the out-party candidate, and that such effect may be mediated by feelings of anger and certainty in one’s political attitudes. These insights draw attention to elite incivility, in addition to citizens’ partisan predispositions, as a potential contributor to the growing affective divide in American politics.