Agenda Setting Issues - Essay Example

Agenda setting 1970-1980 The agenda setting function of mass media Maxwell E. McCombs and Donald L. Shaw Just as the title suggests, the article discusses the vita function of the media, which is agenda setting. The media filters the numerous occurrences in the society on a daily basis thereby determine particular issues to give prominence. Such is a vital function that influences the social conversations in the society. The article therefore investigates the development of the media in the decade and the portrayal of the vital function. In investigating the role of the media in setting agenda, the article analyses political activities in a country. Politics is an emotive issue that often elicits immense interests from the populace. As such, the input of the media in setting the agenda in such circumstances is vita since it helps decipher some of the prevailing political events at the time. The mass media is more likely to influence the opinions of an electorate during campaigns than the actual politician is. The structure of the media characterized with the various gatekeepers implies that decision of the mass media is informed therefore factual. The electorate therefore relies on the communications from the media. The elite are always more interested in politics that the illiterate in a society because politics of a country influences their wellbeing. Such a group considers the information they obtain from the media. The group relies on the media to initiate debates in social circles. The illiterate on the other hand believe the mass media content which often help them make their own personal decisions. The mass media gives intensified attention to specific issues in the society through repetitive coverage thus ensuring that the public discusses them at various stages. 1980-1990 Title: Agenda-setting research: Where has it been, where is it going? Authors: Dearing, J & Rogers, E The article discusses the role of mass communication research in understanding the various effects of the mass media. The media continues to remain a vital section of the society that influences the actions, thoughts and feelings of the public. This implies that media is a vital aspect that does not only inform the public but influences the actions and thoughts of their target audience. By heightening research in the field, the scholar explains that the practitioners in the industry would discover new appropriate ways of ensuring that the media performs its functions effectively without harming the public. Mass communication research just as in any other discipline serves to develop new knowledge thereby informing the future of the profession. The book suggests specific features of the profession that requires effective research in order to uphold professionalism in the mass media. The fact that mass media influences the thoughts and feelings of the people imply that the media has an obligation to safeguard such thereby minimizing the harm it may possibly cause the society. Objectivity in journalism among other ethical concerns is some of the features of the profession that help minimize harm in the coveted profession. 1990-2000 Title: Explorers and surveyors: Expanding strategies for agenda setting research Author: Maxwell E. McCombs Research is an important tool used by scholars in advancing knowledge in a particular field. In this article, McCombs therefore discusses the importance and various fields of researches that scholars, journalists and students in the discipline can possibly research in order to advance the growth of knowledge in the discipline. He contends that agenda setting is a vital role of the media since it seeks to influence the mindset of the people in a society. As such, the media influences the direction for growth in politics, economics and technology among others all of which are vital pillars of the economy. Such explanations portray the importance of the mass media thereby validating the need for effective research in specific fields to ensure growth in the profession. McCombs equates research in journalism to peeling a sweet onion, which he explains reveals a layer of fields for research in the discipline. He explains that researches have repeatedly carried out researches in repetitive spheres of the profession thereby leaving numerous other potential areas for growth. Professionals, scholars and students in the profession tend to research in already discovered areas thereby limiting the growth of the career. By limiting researches to boundaries of the known, such scholars do not grow knowledge. New media is likely to influence the agenda-setting role of the traditional media; he therefore suggests such new areas for research. 2000-2010 Article: A look at agenda-setting: Past, present and future Author: Maxwell E. McCombs In this article, McCombs continues his research in the agenda setting function of the mass media. He explains that media is responsible for drawing pictures of public affairs in the minds of the people. Furthermore, the mass media influences our conception of the finer details of such pictures. In discussing this, he investigates the nature of the agendas the media setts and their psychological effects in the consumers of mass media contents. Additionally h explains the psychological impacts of such agendas and the subsequent attitudes the agendas create in the public. Numerous newsworthy events occur in a day. However, the media selects just handful to process, package and communicate to the public. In doing this, the media confines the public to the items they want. Additionally, the angles they adopt in framing their news articles among other media content influences the impacts such news items have on the society. The mass media outlets are business entities that seek to achieve profitability. This often affects the operations of the media. By incorporating such personal features as sensation in journalism, the journalists force particular viewpoints in their audiences. The decade experienced a growth in the mass media industry a feature that heightened competition in the industry thus motivating journalists to engage in unprofessional conduct in their attempt to woo audience. Such undertakings have profound effects on the audience who rely on the media to set agenda for public discussion thus influencing public opinion. 2010-2014 Article: Agenda Setting and Agenda Melding in an Age of Horizontal and Vertical Media: A New Theoretical Lens for Virtual Brand Communities. Author: Ragas, Matthew & Marilyn Roberts The two authors contend that the current decade is unique. The advent of the social media introduced such concepts as citizen journalism and media convergence as the traditional mass media outlets sought to increase their efficiency of operations thus enhancing their profitability. The current society does not rely on the mass media entirely to obtain their news among other media contents. Additionally, the incorporation of the new media in news development and presentation introduced an element of interactivity as the audience contributes to the discussions in the media. This implies that the public take part in the creation of the mass media agenda. The decade therefore puts journalists in a precarious situation as they strive to beat competition in an increasingly critical and informed society. The traditional media therefore has an obligation to maintain competitive operations in a society that the public does not rely on them entirely to create and enhance agenda. The internet enables people to have their own agendas and discussions often forcing the traditional media to investigate such discussions thus highlighting them. The decade just as McCombs had predicted in his previous works, requires journalists to perfect their news gathering and gatekeeping functions since the society does not rely entirely on them, as was the case in previous decades. Setting agenda in this decade therefore requires an incorporation of both the traditional and the new media in order to input the feelings and thoughts of the public. This makes news presentation tedious but is the only guarantee for the media to grow holistically into the unpredictable future. CNN, BBC and Aljazeera among many other media have interactive sections in which they engage their audience from all over the world. References Dearing, J; Rogers, E (1988). "Agenda-setting research: Where has it been, where is it going?".Communication Yearbook 11: 555–594. McCombs, E. M & Shaw, L. D. (1973). The agenda setting function of mass media. Journalism and mass communication quarterly 68: 703-708 McCombs, E. M. (1992). Explorers and surveyors: Expanding strategies for agenda setting research. Journalism quarterly 69: 813-824. McCombs, M (2005). "A look at agenda-setting: Past, present and future.". Journalism Studies 6 (4). Ragas, Matthew & Marilyn Roberts (2011). "Agenda Setting and Agenda Melding in an Age of Horizontal and Vertical Media: A New Theoretical Lens for Virtual Brand Communities".Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 86 (1): 45–64. Read More