Chapter 12:

Agenda-Setting Theory
 The important news
• Gatekeepers must identify the most important news stories
for the day; some stories are more important or newsworthy
than others.
• The most important or newsworthy information is normally
posted in a prominent position on the Web site, broadcast
first on a newscast or positioned on the front page of the
newspaper.
• The less important stories are placed lower on the Web site or
are broadcast later in a newscast.
• Journalists must create a news hierarchy, identifying which
stories are more newsworthy and placing those accordingly.
 Gatekeeping isn't enough
• In addition to gatekeeping, journalists must identify
the prominence of each story and then decide where
it should be placed on the Web site or news
broadcast.
• In other words, journalists are organizing their daily
agendas.
• “Agenda” can be defined as a list of items to be
discussed in a meeting or a list of important issues.
 Agenda-Setting theory
• The Agenda-Setting Theory deals with where stories should
be located in a news report—giving them greater or lesser
prominence (DeFleur, 160).
• News media reports strongly influence the public regarding
what issues are important and prominent.
• For example, Lindsay Lohan has been in the news a lot lately
because she's been to jail and now she may be headed back to
rehab. Because this has been broadcast regularly on different
news outlets, the public begins to realize the significance (or
at least the controversy) of her actions.
• Consequently, most people have at least heard of Lindsay
Lohan, even if they don't care about her.
• The media tells us that Lindsay Lohan should be on our
“agenda.”
 Collateral Instruction
• Media provides collateral instruction (unintended lessons)
to audiences regarding what's acceptable
• Media influences social norms
• For example, when we see celebrities drinking excessively
and acting in a promiscuous manner in movies and on
television, we accept this as normal and acceptable
behavior.
• In this case, the movies and television shows are
promoting their “agendas.”
• Other examples of media promoting agendas?
 Development of a social movement

• The Agenda-Setting Theory states that media

can influence negative behavior.
• Consequently, media inspires others to take
action to counteract this negative behavior
(ex: MADD).
 Functions of mass communication
• Agenda-Setting Theory helps us understand three functions
of mass communication in society:
1. The complex relationship among news
media treatment of issues
2. Public beliefs about those issues
3. Policy concerns of leaders regarding those issues
(DeFleur, 160).

Recent example: same-sex marriages—should they be

legalized?
This theory explains certain behavior and allows audiences to
either accept or reject such behavior.
 Agenda-Setting Theory history
• Originally developed in 1972 by Maxwell
McCombs and Donald Shaw, communications
scholars who wanted to study how audiences
reacted to news presentation.
• They found that news stories that were
portrayed as important by media were seen as
more important by audiences.
• Media determines the importance of issues.
 Examples of important issues
• Abortion
• Equal rights for all same-sex couples and heterosexual
couples
• More recently: the oil spill in the Gulf
• Important entertainment news: Mel Gibson's meltdown
• Why are these issues presented as more important than
others?
• Agenda-Setting Theory states that media doesn't
necessarily tell us what to think, but media tells us what to
think about.
• Media have great influence on voters; media provide the
important issues for each election.
 Minds of our own
• While the Agenda-Setting Theory states media tell us what to
think about, audiences take this information and form their
own beliefs.
• In short, media influence public opinion regarding important
issues.
 How do journalists decide what
should be on the agenda?
• As stated in the Gatekeeping Theory, consumers are
at the mercy of journalists.
• “News” is whatever producers and editors decide is
most important and newsworthy.
• One important factor: what news items will attract the
largest audience.
• In addition, media must consider the bottom line.
• Some publications have different agendas.
• For example: The New York Times and the National
Enquirer have different agendas, but both succeed.
 Creating the Agenda
• Stories that possess the following features are often
considered important and are placed in prominent
positions on Web sites or TV broadcasts:
• Impact—how many people will this story affect?
• Proximity—how close to home is this story?
• Timeliness—is this a timely issue or old news?
• Prominence—does the story involve a celebrity or another
prominent person?
• Conflict—if it bleeds, it leads
• Currency—is this a hot topic?
• The bizarre—strange items are always interesting
 The Bottom Line
• All news organizations are businesses first and foremost;
therefore, they are concerned with the bottom line: they want
to make a profit in order to stay in business.
• “Agenda” items should support the organization financially
(for example, if Coca-Cola is a major advertiser on Fox News
channel, the producers would likely avoid running an expose
piece detailing the corrupt practices at Coca-Cola).
• Also, news items should serve the needs of the public (ex: is it
in the public interest to broadcast the story about the corrupt
practices at Coca-Cola?)
• This may create a conflict; what would you do in this
situation? Risk upsetting a major advertiser or serve the public
interest?
 The public's right to know
• Many “agenda” items are identified based on the
audience makeup.
• What will an audience find interesting, important, or
insulting?
• For example, WYFF would likely not feature a story
critical of churches or the Christian faith since we're
located in the Bible Belt.
• Journalists also struggle with the public's right to
information, even if the audience may not find it
interesting or important.
• Ex: A teacher who abused a student at a local school.
 “Killer issues”
• These issues inundate the news, sometimes to the
point of overkill
• Examples: Michael Jackson's death, 9/11
• Media cover these issues incessantly; these stories
must be on the agenda in order to keep up with the
competition.
 Follow the leader
• Many smaller news organizations (WYFF or The Greenville
News, for example) follow the lead of major news outlets
(CNN or The New York Times)