Question

The ____________ model of agenda setting focuses on the role of leaders in business, finance, media, and government.

Answer 1

Agenda setting is the idea that what the public thinks about is set by the media. The agenda setting theory was first introduced by Dr. Maxwell McCombs and Dr. Donald Shaw in 1972. This theory states that the news plays an integral part in the shaping of political realities. The amount of time spent on an issue and the information relayed in a news story, along with the story's position, determines how much a reader learns and the amount of importance placed on the issue. The agenda setting theory of McCombs and Shaw states that when the media reflect on the views of a candidate during a campaign, they are also shaping and determining the issues of importance. This can ultimately set the agenda for a political campaign.

When analyzing agenda setting, there are two basic assumptions to be considered:

Media and the press filter and shape reality rather than reflect it.
When media focuses on just a few issues and subjects, the public tends to perceive those issues as more important.