Agenda-Setting Theory PDF

01 Agenda-Setting Theory Proponents: Maxwell McCombs and Donald L. Shaw Mass Communication Theories Domains 02 ADVERTISING PUBLIC RELATIONS MARKETING A...

01 Agenda-Setting Theory Proponents: Maxwell McCombs and Donald L. Shaw Mass Communication Theories Domains 02 ADVERTISING PUBLIC RELATIONS MARKETING AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOR MASS COMMUNICATION POLITICAL COMMUNICATION  AGENDA-SETTING 03 THEORY The media set the priorities of which news The news reports make it so that comes first and then the when a particular news report is next according to how The influence of media given more importance and people think and how affects the presentation attention than other news, the of the reports and issues much influence it will audience will automatically perceive made in the news that it as the most important news and have among the affects the public mind. information given to them. audience. 04  05 Agenda-setting occurs through a cognitive process known as “accessibility.” Media provides information that is the most relevant food for thought, portraits the significant issues of society, and reflects people's minds. LEVELS OF AGENDA- 06 SETTING THEORY: First Level: The researchers usually use the first level to study media uses and its objectives or the influences that media creates on people and the most proximal thought that people will have on the exposure to the information given by the media house. LEVELS OF AGENDA- 07 SETTING THEORY: Second Level: At the second level, the media focuses on how people should think about the nature of the issues. Thus, the sensationalization of news reports may happen to bring in the interest of the audience. The media wants to grab attention and implant thoughts in people's minds about some serious issues. That is why media turn specific issues viral. LEVELS OF AGENDA- 08 SETTING THEORY: Second Level: Agenda-setting theory is used in political advertisements, campaigns, business news, and PR (public relations). The central concept associated with the theory is gatekeeping. Gatekeeping is in charge of and has control of the selection of content discussed in the media. It is assumed that the public cares about the product of media gatekeeping. Editors are the primary gatekeepers of media itself. The news media decides ‘what’ events to broadcast and show through the media ‘gates’ based on ‘newsworthiness.’ LEVELS OF AGENDA- 09 SETTING THEORY: Second Level: For example, news comes from various sources; editors choose what should appear and what should not. That is why they are called gatekeepers. Gatekeepers are the powerful authority who ensure suitable materials are disseminated to the masses because some issues are essential to the media but not to the masses. PRIMING 10 The responsibility of the media is proposing the values and standards through which the objects gain a certain amount of attention can be judged. The media’s content will provide sufficient time and space to specific issues, making it more vivid. In simple words, the media gives the utmost importance to a particular event such that it gives people the impression that that specific news is the most important one. This is done daily. The selected news report is carried on like a heading or covered regularly for months. For example, terms such as headlines, special news features, discussions, expert opinions are used. Media primes news by repeating the news and giving it more importance. FRAMING 11 Framing is a process of selective control. It has two meanings. 1. How news content is typically shaped and contextualized within the same frame of reference. 2. The audience adopts the frames of reference and see the world in a similar way. This is how people attach importance to a piece of news and perceive its context within which an issue is viewed. Framing deals with how people attach importance to certain news. For example, in the case of an attack, defeat, win, and loss, the media frames the news in such a way that people perceive it from a different angle. FRAMING 12 We can take the Kargil War between India and Pakistan as an example. In both the countries, the news reports were framed in such a way they show their own country in a positive light and the other in the negative. So depending on which media people have access to, their perception will differ.  13 FACTORS Gatekeepers, editors and managers, and other external influences. AFFECTING Non-media sources like government officials and influential personnel. AGENDA- For example “if the media has a close relationship SETTING with the elite society, that class will probably affect the media agenda and the public agenda in turn”.  14 CRITICISMS OF AGENDA-SETTING THEORY Media users are not ideal. The people may not pay attention to details. The effect is weakened for people who have made up their minds. Media cannot create problems. They can only alter the level of awareness, priorities, importance, etc.