AGENDA SETTING THEORY

GATE KEEPING

What is Agenda-Setting Theory?

The Agenda-Setting Theory states that the media arent always successful at telling us what to think, but rather they are quite successful at telling us what to think about.

Theorist

Maxwell McCombs Donald L. Shaw

Gate keeping
It is the regulating and monitoring function of the media editors or gatekeepers They select and admit content that they deem newsworthy for the general public to see. They filter out information and not everything is exposed to the public.

Two Levels Of Agenda-Setting

First Level Enacts the common subjects that are most important. Second Level Decides what parts of the subject are important.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths Claims that it has predictive abilities It has Organizing power It explains the issues simple and easy to understand Weaknesses The general public are only drawn to what is being presented to them It promotes ignorance to the details Media can only alter the awareness and priority of the issue