Ba, Greitens, and Kim focus on the subnational propaganda targeting in North Korea, aiming to understand how and why authoritarian regimes engage in this process. The study argues that North Korea's authoritarian regime tailors its messages differently for elites and masses to enhance its political survival. The research findings reveal that the regime's propaganda primarily emphasizes the traditional legitimacy of the Kim family's rule, security, and the role of the military. It also uses economic themes to mobilize the masses around economic production and to reinforce the economic bargain between the regime and its elites. 

Ba, Heather-Leigh K., Sheena Chestnut Greitens, and Yu Bin Kim. "Authoritarian Audiences: Theory and Evidence for Subnational Propaganda Targeting in North Korea."Comparative Politics (2023).