CRITICAL REVIEW #2

Agenda Setting Theory

JOSHUA KISER
CALIFORNIA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
COM505
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Agenda Setting Theory

This week’s theory exploration takes us through the passage of looking into the agenda

setting theory. The term "capacity (of the news media to affect the significance put on the themes

of the public agenda)" is used to describe the process of "setting the agenda." (Oliver, 2020,

p.184) The process by which the media strives to exert influence over viewers and build a

hierarchy of news precedence is analyzed under the heading of "setting the agenda." Nations that

are seen to be gifted with a greater amount of political authority receive greater publicity in the

media. The biases held by the media towards topics such as politics, the economy, and culture

are what drive the agenda that is set by the media. A rapid speed of growth and extension of

these viewpoints was promoted by the development of agenda-setting and laissez-faire

components of communication research. In order to achieve its intended purpose, the process of

agenda setting must follow a certain sequence of steps. In a research on the presidential election

of 1968 referred to as "the Chapel Hill study," Dr. Max McCombs and Dr. Donald Shaw

formally created what is now known as the agenda-setting hypothesis. McCombs and Shaw

revealed a high association between the thoughts of one hundred inhabitants of Chapel Hill

regarding what was the most important election topic and what was reported to be the most

important subject by the local news media. (Lamb, 2012) McCombs and Shaw determined the

degree to which the public is swayed by the media by comparing the importance of subjects

discussed in the news to the impressions held by the general population. The idea also proposes

that the media has a significant impact on its audience by instilling in them what they ought to

think about rather than what they really think about. To put it another way, the audience will

view an issue as more important if it is reported several times and in prominent places in the

news. (Oliver, 2020) There is a correlation between what members of the media choose to

highlight and their perspectives on topics such as politics, the economy, and culture, according to
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Agenda Setting Theory

a number of studies. Other opponents of the news media in the United States argue that

journalism has morphed into a type of entertainment, in addition to the prejudice that exists in

the media. Instead of supplying the public with the facts that they require, journalists make it

their mission to satisfy the public's thirst for frightening and dramatic headlines. Countries that

have a greater tendency to have more political authority have a greater possibility of receiving

media attention. Some of the most important reasons that might explain coverage inequality

include monetary resources, technological advances, international commerce, and the amount of

money spent on the military.

The Agenda Function Setting Theory video explained the concepts rooted within the

agenda setting theory and argued the explanation that the media can’t tell you what to watch and

discuss. However, which media can’t tell you what to think, but more importantly what to think

about. It focused its attention to the presidential elections and the focus of communicating the

issue and how can you manipulate the views, titles, font sizes, and ultimately trigger the

stimulating talks supporting the concepts of media messages. More importantly, we focus on the

aspects of how the agenda setting theory addresses the ability to create topics as major or minor

in discussion forums. Another great concept brought forth in this video, was the definition of

reality versus perceived reality and the ability for the media to effectively control dictate and

create adversity to particular topics. All the while maintaining this stance of distance and

separation from the information presented, which is defined as the framing theory. The media

bias perspective is dissected by Alisa Miller's Ted Talk, which also provides regional and

geographical examples of media framing and agenda shaping ideas. Miller's convincing evidence

demonstrates how skewed the media's portrayal of global events has made us, allowing her to

relate to and build trust with her listeners. She also shows that, despite having less education
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overall, people today are 50% more engaged in international news than our ancestors. Miller

(2008) Video interview with Jaron Lanier is excellent because it shows how digital tracking and

manipulation appear in practice. We are introduced to the actual magic of technology

manipulation and monitoring in this video and in his book, "Ten Reasons to Delete your Social

Media Account Now." The power of the mass media to influence our behavior and direct our

attention to specific, premium content is predicated on the digital information collection and

content production that is the hallmark of the media industry of the future.

The theoretical approach displays the conceptualized notion that the media has a

strangle hold on the variance and tolerability of our news media. Based upon ownership

hierarchy and political biasness built into the corporate structure. The media outlets with deepest

pockets can control the visualization of media imagery and information. By portraying aspects of

particular details that contribute to personal factors, limiting informational flows, and devising

campaign and strategic deployment of advertisements and propaganda, the media is complete

control of our news watching. Therefore, as communication specialists it is our duty and

obligation to maintain an open eye and ear and develop truthful methodologies of

communication. Holding firm in our values in the face of adversity, we must profoundly go

froward and present and represent all views, whether political, religious, or cultural, we are

bound in the eyes of God, to be truthful.

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Reference:

Lamb, B. (2012, September 6). The agenda setting function theory | media in minutes - YouTube.
Retrieved September 12, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7qf9gQpoF4 

Lanier, J. (2018, June 15). Jaron Lanier interview on how Social Media Ruins Your Life -
YouTube. Retrieved September 12, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=kc_Jq42Og7Q 

Miller, A. (2008). How the news distorts our worldview. Alisa Miller: How the news distorts our
worldview | TED Talk. Retrieved September 11, 2022, from
https://www.ted.com/talks/alisa_miller_how_the_news_distorts_our_worldview 

Oliver, M. B., Raney, A. A., & Bryant, J. (2020). Media effects: Advances in theory and
research. Routledge.