Key Post: EOTO Terms & Concepts 2
Agenda Setting Theory
The way in which our society communicates with each other is through the media. The media is a source that everyone in the world looks at to gain information. Have you ever really thought about how the media is portrayed? There are many communication theories that display how the media can be portrayed in several different ways. One theory is the Agenda Setting theory. Agenda Setting theory focuses on how the media uses its influence to attract the public's mind to a specific story or issue they consider to be important. Agenda Setting theory focuses on information that is deemed to have priority over other stories. This theory is very important because it can be used to sway a person's mind to believe a specific perspective.
The Agenda Setting theory was developed by Maxwell McCombs and Donald L. Shaw in 1968 during the United States presidential election. The Agenda Setting theory can have both a bright side and a dark side to it. The bright side is all about the media bringing attention and spreading awareness to essential issues within our society that have been silenced or not discussed. However, the dark side focuses on using the media to change people's opinions and beliefs completely. The dark side is all about instilling specific beliefs onto the public. When the media uses the Agenda Setting theory there is usually a specific result and intent, they have in mind by using it.
The Agenda Setting theory can be seen as both a necessity to society, but also can be detrimental to society. The Agenda Setting theory can be great for society because it focuses on bringing necessary awareness to issues that are relevant within our society. An example of this today is the constant talk of the Covid-19 virus in the media. Every day, a news story about Covid-19 is displayed in the media. This virus is affecting our society in a massive way these days, so it is super important that the media brings attention and awareness to it so people know how to protect themselves and the rest of society from getting sick. Agenda Setting theory could help change the world in Covid-19's case because our society needs to be constantly informed on how the world is doing and how to keep their loved ones safe. However, the Agenda Setting theory can also be very detrimental to our society because it advocates for everyone in the world to have the same opinion and to think the same way. This theory can be used in the media to persuade people's minds and ways of thinking. Different views and opinions on subjects are important in our society because it allows us to learn and grow. Focusing on just one way of thinking can put our society to a halt that can lead us to move backward rather than forward.
This theory focuses on instilling a certain opinion on society. It most certainly can affect all segments within our society a little differently. The Agenda Setting theory plays a huge role within the rich and poor segments of our society. Depending on if the audience the media is trying to target is, rich or poor plays a major role in seeing how successful the Agenda Setting theory really is. Someone who comes from a wealthy upbringing and received a higher education will probably be less likely to be influenced by the media. They are also less likely to change their opinions. These people have been exposed to more in life and have learned more because they were given the opportunity to receive higher education, compared to other people who weren't as lucky to receive that luxury. Someone who comes from the working class and did have the ability to receive a higher education might be influenced by the media because that is the only source of information that is available to them. This example indicates how the Agenda-Setting theory relates to specific segments individually.
Lastly, I feel that this theory has widely impacted my generation in particular. I am a part of Generation Z. My generation has grown up with the use of media. We never lived in a world without it, leading us to be heavily reliant on the media. When it comes to news stories, my generation definitely uses the media as a way to form their opinions. My generation discovers what is going on within our present world through the use of social media and the news. Every time we need an answer to something we don't know or understand, we look to the media. In some cases, my generation can be influenced to believe that everything in the media and on the internet is completely true. However, that is completely false. I think that the Agenda Setting theory can really affect my generation because we are young and innocent individuals who are just starting to join the real world. I feel that the media uses the Agenda Setting theory to instill their opinions and beliefs on individuals like myself because they know my generation is in the process of developing own our opinions about society.
https://masscommtheory.com/2010/03/09/the-agenda-setting-function-of-the-mass-media/
https://www.communicationtheory.org/agenda-setting-theory/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agenda-setting_theory
https://www.tes.com/lessons/IqXiZRUE2bMuaA/l-agenda-setting
https://scscmedia.weebly.com/agenda-setting-theory.html
The Agenda Setting theory was developed by Maxwell McCombs and Donald L. Shaw in 1968 during the United States presidential election. The Agenda Setting theory can have both a bright side and a dark side to it. The bright side is all about the media bringing attention and spreading awareness to essential issues within our society that have been silenced or not discussed. However, the dark side focuses on using the media to change people's opinions and beliefs completely. The dark side is all about instilling specific beliefs onto the public. When the media uses the Agenda Setting theory there is usually a specific result and intent, they have in mind by using it.
This theory focuses on instilling a certain opinion on society. It most certainly can affect all segments within our society a little differently. The Agenda Setting theory plays a huge role within the rich and poor segments of our society. Depending on if the audience the media is trying to target is, rich or poor plays a major role in seeing how successful the Agenda Setting theory really is. Someone who comes from a wealthy upbringing and received a higher education will probably be less likely to be influenced by the media. They are also less likely to change their opinions. These people have been exposed to more in life and have learned more because they were given the opportunity to receive higher education, compared to other people who weren't as lucky to receive that luxury. Someone who comes from the working class and did have the ability to receive a higher education might be influenced by the media because that is the only source of information that is available to them. This example indicates how the Agenda-Setting theory relates to specific segments individually.
Lastly, I feel that this theory has widely impacted my generation in particular. I am a part of Generation Z. My generation has grown up with the use of media. We never lived in a world without it, leading us to be heavily reliant on the media. When it comes to news stories, my generation definitely uses the media as a way to form their opinions. My generation discovers what is going on within our present world through the use of social media and the news. Every time we need an answer to something we don't know or understand, we look to the media. In some cases, my generation can be influenced to believe that everything in the media and on the internet is completely true. However, that is completely false. I think that the Agenda Setting theory can really affect my generation because we are young and innocent individuals who are just starting to join the real world. I feel that the media uses the Agenda Setting theory to instill their opinions and beliefs on individuals like myself because they know my generation is in the process of developing own our opinions about society.
https://masscommtheory.com/2010/03/09/the-agenda-setting-function-of-the-mass-media/
https://www.communicationtheory.org/agenda-setting-theory/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agenda-setting_theory
https://www.tes.com/lessons/IqXiZRUE2bMuaA/l-agenda-setting
https://scscmedia.weebly.com/agenda-setting-theory.html
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