Currently I’m back in my hometown and living with my parents. Before I moved back in with them, I barely watched the news. To be honest, I had only heard information on the coronavirus from my friends and from recent emails from Baylor. Similarly, I didn’t know much about the upcoming election and didn’t really think much of it. In my parent’s house however, the news is on constantly. I’ve heard about the coronavirus and the upcoming election for weeks. I have seen countless news stories about coronavirus cases locally, statewide, and globally. I have seen countless ads about Joe Biden and have heard far too many opinions from random faces on the TV screen. Since moving back in with my parents, I am certainly more informed and have different views on the importance of these current events. Agenda Setting Theory predicts this perfectly.
The main idea behind Agenda Setting theory is that the media shapes the public’s view on what issues are important, what aspect of those issues we should focus on, and how different issues are connected. All this begins with what McCombs and Shaw call the personal agenda. A personal agenda is “the list of issues most salient to a single person at a given time” (pg. 368). According to the theory, the personal agenda is shaped and influenced by the media agenda, which is “the list of issues emphasized by the news media at a given time” (pg. 368). Someone can easily see what the media deems important by simply turning on the TV, seeing what stories are making the news, and what topics are covered over and over. McCombs and Shaw say that the media shapes the public’s view first, by telling us what issues are important. For example, as stated earlier the coronavirus pandemic and the upcoming election currently dominate the news coverage. Next, the media tells us what aspects of those issues are most important, in other words “how” we should think about those issues (pg. 370). In regard to the coronavirus, the news reports how many new cases there are and how to flatten the curve. When they talk about the election they focus on candidates like Joe Biden. These are the aspects of current issues that the media deems most important. Finally, the media tells us how certain issues are connected. For example, the media is sharing stories on the declining economy in connection with the coronavirus, or the loss of local business because of the stay at home orders.
This theory certainly makes sense to me. I have seen this theory proved all throughout my life, in the influence of my own views/beliefs and in my families’. Agenda Setting Theory reminds me a lot of something my mom has always reminded me of, that the information, music, movies, and messages that come into us will be what flows out of us. I don’t believe this is true in all cases, because I believe we have the ability to reject and accept the messages and information that we come into contact with. However, in most cases I would agree. Similarly, I have also heard that when someone hears something over and over and over, it is likely that they will come to believe it. I think this idea ties nicely to the Agenda Setting Theory. Admittedly, after hearing so much about the coronavirus I certainly am more aware and think that it is more important of an issue than before.