The Impact of the Print Media on the Timing and Direction of Government Action on Same Sex Marriage

As public opinion has become more supportive of lesbian and gay rights some states have recognized same sex marriage. In this paper we seek to evaluate the relationship between mass media slant, public attitudes and state action. We measure newspaper opinion and state level public opinion on same sex marriage. And we employ statistical methods to determine whether state courts or legislatures are more likely to respond to public preferences or to elite signals through major local newspapers even in the absence of public support