Angelo Gerard R. Fulgencio 09/13/22
The Agenda Setting Theory was conceptualized by Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw. They conducted a quantitative survey and was conceptualized in 1968. This was during the presidential election of Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey. The agenda setting theory was introduced in 1972, which created a great impact in society.
The Agenda Setting Theory is defined as an agenda or plan that influence the audience from the prioritized reports and issues provided by the media. It is in order to capture and attract the public on what the media provides. The theory is letting the audience discuss and think about the said information given by the media. It creates a plan or agenda on what kind of information is needed to think about. This theory shapes the information on what to talk and not talk about. It creates a systematic way of information controlled by a public agenda, media agenda, and policy agenda.
Agenda Setting Theory belongs to the socio-psychological tradition of communication because it impacts on how the audience react to the said information. The goal of the theory is really to influence mass media and that is why it belong to this tradition because it persuades and create an cause and effect to the audience. The reliability of truth is being examined by the audience on the given information. It provides a prioritized information that can let people examine about the information if it is true or not.
An example of this theory is when I scroll into social media, I always see the video that the Marcos family owned the Tallano gold. It is rumored their family can save the Philippines. I always see this in the media that caught everyone’s attention. Most Filipinos believed in this conspiracy and without knowing what the truth is. It is because the information is always visible and prioritized by some media which Filipinos love to think about this certain topic. This really create a big impact of the historical records of the Philippines. This also lead to the victory of President Bongbong Marcos in the 2022 Philippine presidential elections. The media prioritized this information in order to let the Filipinos think about and talk about the topic which can spread to the world and can influence people. It created a mindset of the Filipinos that the Marcos family owned the Tallano gold. I learned that there are media who controls and prioritize information that can corrupt the truth. If we must set an agenda, we must do it for the good of the people and not to corrupt the minds of the people. We must stick to the facts and issues. We should not focus on false information and issues that can only benefit personal interest.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxwell_McCombs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Lewis_Shaw
About the Writer
I am Angelo Gerard R. Fulgencio, a student from University of San Carlos and currently taking up Bachelor of Arts in Communications Major in Media.
Agenda Setting Theory 