 |
| Image retrieved from YouTube. |
One of the positives that comes from the agenda setting theory is that it keeps journalists and society up to date on current news stories. However, one of the negatives is that the public may only be able to retain the most recent stories, not necessarily the most important ones. The audience will only be able to recall the most accessible memory in their heads, whether that be a news story on the president or what the most popular song is of the week. This theory doesn't tell the audience what to think, but what to think about.
Agenda setting affects society as a whole by putting an idea in people's heads of what the "most important" news story is, when in reality, it might just be the only story they remember. Through the public, media, and policy types of agenda setting, society's perceptions may be altered based on how journalists want to show the news.
One of the most prominent examples of agenda setting is the Super Bowl. Every year, it seems like that is all people talk about the week of the game. It is one of the most viewed events on television, but not everyone watching the game is even a sports fan. Most people that watch the Super Bowl are caught up in the moment, meaning that they feel as though "everyone is watching it," so they should too. Viewers are more inclined to watch the game because of how relevant it is in the media.
In my opinion, I could see how this theory might affect people of older generations versus younger generations. People of the older generation have more of an accurate perspective on what news is the most important because they have more life experience. The younger generation's opinions are more likely to be affected by agenda setting because they have less life experience and more exposure to the media in general.
The theory of agenda setting affects my life because I fall victim to reading and watching what news stories pop up first on my timeline and fail to read further down. I, as well as many others, do this because of my subconscious telling me that everything "below the line" isn't as important. Overall, agenda setting is important, but can also be dangerous within the media.
Related Articles:
Agenda Setting
Agenda Setting Examples
