TY - JOUR
T1 - Non-majoritarian institutions, media coverage, and 'reinforced accountability'
AU - Koop, Christel
AU - Scotto Di Vettimo, Michele
N1 - Funding Information:
Earlier versions of the article benefited from feedback provided by audiences at CIDE Mexico City, ICCP5, King's College London, and the University of Southampton, as well as by the PSA Specialist Group on Executive Politics & Governance. We are also grateful for the constructive comments given by Benjamin Braun, Matia Vannoni, Francesca Vantaggiato, Martin Weale, the editor, and three anonymous reviewers. The study was supported by Leverhulme Research Fellowship RF‐2020‐427\7.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors. Governance published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
PY - 2024/4
Y1 - 2024/4
N2 - As non-majoritarian institutions are deliberately insulated from electoral pressure and ministerial hierarchy, they face an accountability deficit. This deficit can be reduced by embedding the organizations in a wider accountability landscape with multiple forums. Of particular relevance in this landscape are the news media, who may not only serve as account-holders, but can also reinforce other forms of accountability. Yet, we know little about the conditions under which the media cover non-majoritarian governance, and the existence of ‘reinforced accountability’. Focusing empirically on news articles about the Bank of England (1997-2020), we trace coverage levels back to the announcement of key policy decisions and, to some extent, policy outcomes. We also find evidence of reinforced accountability, both in relation to parliamentary oversight and the Bank’s own, voluntary account-giving. These results provide reason for cautious optimism about non-majoritarian accountability, at least in the case of a salient organization.
AB - As non-majoritarian institutions are deliberately insulated from electoral pressure and ministerial hierarchy, they face an accountability deficit. This deficit can be reduced by embedding the organizations in a wider accountability landscape with multiple forums. Of particular relevance in this landscape are the news media, who may not only serve as account-holders, but can also reinforce other forms of accountability. Yet, we know little about the conditions under which the media cover non-majoritarian governance, and the existence of ‘reinforced accountability’. Focusing empirically on news articles about the Bank of England (1997-2020), we trace coverage levels back to the announcement of key policy decisions and, to some extent, policy outcomes. We also find evidence of reinforced accountability, both in relation to parliamentary oversight and the Bank’s own, voluntary account-giving. These results provide reason for cautious optimism about non-majoritarian accountability, at least in the case of a salient organization.
KW - non-majoritarian institutions
KW - oversight
KW - media coverage
KW - reinforced accountability
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85153355760&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/gove.12785
DO - 10.1111/gove.12785
M3 - Article
SN - 1468-0491
VL - 37
SP - 599
EP - 617
JO - Governance
JF - Governance
IS - 2
M1 - 12785
ER -