About Me
I am a PhD student in Media and Communications at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where I also hold the Illinois Distinguished Fellowship, the most prestigious award for incoming graduate students.
My research focuses on political communication, news media consumption, and audience fragmentation in democratic contexts, particularly within India and the United States. I emphasize how the structure and dynamics of media environments shape the flow of information and access to it, examining the role of local news, journalism, and digital platforms in fostering or hindering information access.
By employing both qualitative and statistical methods, including advances in spatial econometrics and network analysis, my work explores the complex relationships between media consumption patterns, high-choice media environments, and democratic informational needs, along with their consequences, such as polarization and the reinforcement of ideologically congruent information.
I am also pursuing an MS in Applied Statistics alongside my PhD. Prior to this, I earned an MA in Linguistics from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and a BA (Honors) in Journalism from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi. You can view my CV here.
If you're in the area or our paths cross at any event, I’d love to grab a coffee and chat about shared interests or potential collaborations! You can contact me at: sakshib3[at]illinois[dot]edu.
News and Updates
My first-authored study discussing why misinformation can persist despite corrections is now available on Information, Communication & Society: When news is entertainment: explaining the persistence of misinformation through the information environment.
If you do not have institutional access to the full text, please feel free to contact me.
Presented at and attended the APSA Preconference on Political Communication for the very first time! Here's a look at our presentation.
Can't wait for APSA 2024! I'll be at the poster session on Thursday at 4pm. Drop by! You can also view my poster in APSA's iPoster gallery here.
My interview with CISLM is live! I discuss my latest study examining the circulation of local print media (and more). Read it here.
Presented at AEJMC 2024.
Our study titled "When news is entertainment: Explaining the persistence of misinformation through the information environment" accepted in Information, Communication & Society.
I discussed my working paper on digital and legacy media structures (in India) and how they shape audience behaviors (even) on social media platforms at the Social Media and Society in India Conference at U Michigan. Read a brief draft here.