The Influence of Media "Agenda Setting" on Public Opinion

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the research that has been done on the phenomenon of agenda setting by the popular media, and the influence it has on public opinion. The relevant literature is reviewed, demonstrating that a plethora of studies have established that agenda setting is a common occurrence in the popular media. The opposing argument, that the evidence for agenda setting is purely cor-relational, is addressed. The effects that this influence has on the public's view of what issues are important are explored.

From the Paper:

"Agenda setting is a real phenomenon, and is the most important factor in shaping the public's view of the relative importance of a story. Early studies in communications revealed that the media had a minimal effect on public thinking. As such, the study of agenda setting has become one of the first real investigations into the powerful effect of the media on public opinion (Morgan). Agenda setting is important because it shows that the news media has an important role to play in the subjects that the public think about. Agenda setting, in its most insidious form, tells the public what political matters to consider important (Severn & Tankard)."

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