ABSTRACT
In the cradle of democracy, the Greek polis, knowledge of public affairs was assumed as a prerequisite to informed participation. In order to conduct a propaganda there must be some barrier between the public and the event. Although the evidence regarding ownership patterns and their effects on media content appears mixed, there is some evidence that, at the societal level, diversity of knowledge is correlated with the diversity of news sources available. But the news media have been primarily responsible for educating the public about various aspects of the disease, including how it is transmitted, who is most susceptible, and how to avoid it. Numerous studies also have demonstrated the strong positive relationship between education, usually measured in terms of years of schooling, and levels of knowledge. Education also stimulates media use that, in turn, helps to account for greater information gains.
