Agenda-setting theory
Agenda-setting theory is a framework that explains how mass media influences public perception by prioritizing certain topics over others. Developed by Drs. Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw during the 1968 American presidential election, the theory posits that the media's focus shapes what issues are considered important by society. This concept operates on two levels: first, through the selection of topics to discuss, and second, through the framing of those topics by emphasizing specific facts while downplaying others.
Research has shown that the media's persistent coverage of particular issues can lead to heightened public interest and demand for action, thereby influencing public opinion and even policy outcomes. Notably, events like the Watergate scandal illustrate the theory's relevance, as extensive media coverage played a crucial role in shaping public scrutiny of President Nixon, ultimately leading to his resignation.
In the modern context, the rise of social media has transformed the landscape of agenda setting, allowing for a more direct dialogue between public figures and citizens, while also challenging traditional media’s gatekeeping role. This evolution underscores the continuing significance of agenda-setting theory in understanding communication dynamics and public discourse across diverse cultural contexts.
Agenda-setting theory
The mass media plays a significant role in modern society, wielding considerable influence on public opinion. Agenda setting theory proposes that the media affects society by deciding which topics people view as most important. This theory was created by professors who studied the public during a presidential campaign. Other researchers have conducted further studies over the years, adding more insight into the theory. Researchers believe this theory is important because it shows how public attitude and public policy can be indirectly changed by the mass media and socialization.
Agenda Setting Theory and Framing
According to the agenda setting theory, when the media focus on particular topics, society sees those topics as most important. If the media choose to follow one story instead of another, the entire direction of the country's discourse can change. Agenda setting theory also states that the more often an issue is covered in the media, the more important a society will believe that issue is. The theory also states that the mass media has a huge impact on how members of society think and feel about issues affecting their lives. In other words, the theory states that the media does not necessarily tell people what they should think, but they do influence what people think about.
Agenda setting may be viewed on different levels. The first is that the media chooses which topics to discuss and by doing so influence what the public sees as important. The second level is that the media chooses which facts to include about particular topics—by giving more attention to certain facts while obscuring other facts, the media can change people's views about the topics they cover. This issue, which is called framing, is nearly as important as the issue of choosing which topics to report on in the first place.
History of the Agenda Setting Theory
Media's influence on the public has been a topic of research for many years. In the 1920s journalist Walter Lippmann was one of the first people to note the media's power on public opinion.
The agenda setting theory was first defined by two professors at the University of North Carolina School of Journalism and Mass Communication beginning in the late 1960s. Dr. Donald Shaw and Dr. Maxwell McCombs conducted a study to monitor the effects of the media during the US presidential election of 1968. They studied how people were affected by mass media's messages during the campaign. They published a research paper in 1972 detailing their findings and their ideas about agenda setting. Their paper eventually became one of the most cited mass communications research papers in the country. Shaw and McCombs have received numerous awards for their contributions to the field of communications.
After Shaw and McCombs published their results, other researchers continued to refine their ideas. A study conducted in the late 1980s focused on whether agenda setting affected people differently based on their level of political interest and education. In general, this study found that people with fewer political tools and resources were more affected by media agenda setting. In the early twenty-first century, studies continued to track agenda setting in the media. As social media and the internet continued to influence many aspects of mass media and society, researchers began to focus on the possible agenda setting influence of social media.
The Importance of Agenda Setting Theory
Agenda setting theory is important primarily because the media can change the national discussion. By focusing on one event or issue over others, the media can and do influence which events and ideas society believes are noteworthy.
Another reason agenda setting is so important is that society generally focuses only on a few significant issues. In other words, only a few issues will be relevant to many people at one time. Agenda setting can help people focus on one topic over another. Therefore, this theory states that the media can cause the public to overlook some events or ideas in favor of focusing on others.
Some researchers also argue that agenda setting is significant because focusing interests can help shape outcomes. When society is concerned about particular issues, more people might demand action on those issues. Through agenda setting and affecting public opinion, the media can have important effects on what does and does not happen in politics, government, and society.
Example of Agenda Setting
Many instances of media agenda setting are available. One good example is the Watergate scandal that caused President Richard Nixon to resign in the 1970s. During the Watergate scandal, the president was accused of lying and eventually left office because of the accusations against him.
The media were dogged in their coverage of the scandal once the story broke. The media's persistence and continuing focus on the case eventually caused Americans to focus on the story, too. As more Americans followed the case, the scrutiny on the president increased. Because of this increased scrutiny, the president eventually resigned. If the media had not focused on the Watergate scandal as much as they did, the president might not have resigned. This example shows that the media's coverage can have important effects on society.
In the twenty-first century, social media has become an increasingly ubiquitous tool for swaying public opinion. Social movements such as the Occupy movement and Black Lives Matter movement were started on social media. In many ways, social media is supplanting traditional media in the cultural landscape and provides a way for cultural figures to interact directly with the public and impart their agenda—potentially breaking down the gatekeeping role of established media outlets. Research on the ways that political campaigns have utilized social media showed that it has been used to market and sway opinions, but not to open dialogue between the candidate and the public; that activity on social media by political candidates feeds mainstream media stories, while the mainstream media then influences social media posts; and finally, that these are utilized differently in different cultures.
Bibliography
McCombs, Maxwell E., and Donald L. Shaw. "The Agenda-Setting Function of the Mass Media." The Public Opinion Quarterly 63.2 (1972): 176-178.
Mores, Grayce, and Christina Georgacopoulos. "How the National Conversation Begins." LSU, June 2020, faculty.lsu.edu/fakenews/about/agenda-setting.php. Accessed 22 Aug. 2024.
"Social Media and Election Campaigns." University of Oslo, Department of Media and Communication, 30 Apr. 2014, www.hf.uio.no/imk/english/research/projects/social-media-and-election-campaigns/. Accessed 22 Aug. 2024.
Vivian, John. "Media and Government." The Media of Mass Communication. 11 ed. Pearson Education, 2013. 371-378.
Zhu, Jian-Hun and William Boroson. "Susceptibility to Agenda Setting: A Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analysis of Individual Differences." Communication and Democracy: Exploring the Intellectual Frontiers in Agenda-Setting Theory. Eds. Maxwell McCombs, Donald L. Shaw, and David Weaver. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1997. 69-83.
"What Is Agenda Setting Theory? (Plus Levels and Types)." Indeed, 15 Aug. 2024, www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/agenda-setting-theory. Accessed 22 Aug. 2024.