Well, it's that time of the week again. Lecture time. This week we talked about Agenda Setting.
So basically, it was brought to my attention this week, the sheer amount of impact and influence in which the media has on us - society. We were introduced to the idea of 'Agenda Setting', whereby the media 'constructs reality' - on a similar note to that of News Values (see Lecture Nine).
Whilst I have always known that the media shapes society and ultimately influences us in ways in which I am still unaware, the media has an agenda - to tell us what they believe is important and what they believe we have a right to know - of course your awareness (society), is key. It's important to understand that yes, the media have an agenda, BUT, their agenda is not always fair, honest and right.
Of course, as a history enthusiast, when I read the aforementioned, I immediately think of Adolf Hitler and how he ran Germany with 'propaganda'. This of course - with utmost empathy to this horrific time in history, is a demonstration of agenda setting gone wrong - the power in the wrong hands (and this episode of man's inhumanity to man, only goes to show just how much power the media have).
Moving on, we have four types of agenda. Public Agenda, Policy Agenda, Corporate Agenda and Media Agenda and they all play a part in 'constructing reality'.
So what strengths come with Agenda Setting? Well firstly, it explains why most people prioritise the same issues as important (mass media). It also predicts that people who are exposed to the same media will feel the same issues are important. For example, when Hitler was trying to get Germany to side with him, anything in the media that was against him and his beliefs was completely ruled out of the media. Thus the people of Germany were indoctrinated with only what Hitler wanted them to know, thus, Germany had no reason not to believe him - it was all they knew. And in no way am I saying that this is a strength as such of Agenda Setting, however an example of how the media dictates what society believe is important - and correct. However, Agenda Setting can be proven false - when people aren't exposed to the same media, the won't feel the same issues are important. As you can see, when in the wrong hands, Agenda Setting can be used for all of the wrong reasons.
The weaknesses of Agenda Setting however, is that whilst news has been prioritised, people may not be well-informed or deeply engaged in public affairs. Also, people who have made up their minds on the given news topics, can no longer really be swayed by the media and their efforts to rank news on importance. Lastly, new media has a huuuuugggeeee effect on Agenda Setting. The internet is not limited to a few news items - like news channels, newspapers and radio reporters. The internet knows all. And people know this. So therefore, people aware of Agenda Setting and who do not appreciate being told what is important, are able to decide for themselves what they will rank in terms of priority.
So if this is the case, why does the media set an agenda? Well, Dr Bruce simply responded with "because they can".
Must we then ask if this is working in the favour of the public, or not?
In a way, I sometimes think of society as a heard of cattle (which I know nothing about). The media are the cattle dogs and the news is the drover. The cattle dogs are always responding to the drover - shaping and feeding the cattle with information in order to guide them and direct them in the favoured direction - ultimately determined by the drover and the side he deems most favourable. And as cattle, we go our whole lives responding to these dogs. They shape us, literally. They set boundaries, guidelines, they focus our beliefs, morals and expectations - as determined by the fickle drover - to the point where everything that is important to us (as cattle), is really just what the dogs think is most important. And that's okay, because you're a cow. And you're surrounded by cows - just like you. But sometimes, it's good to be that one cow who is aware that what these dogs are telling you, isn't all there is to know - isn't all that is of importance in this great world. Somewhere, beyond the cattle in front, behind, to your left and to your right - beyond the dogs that are closing in around you, there is another world, full of other important issues, that you may never see or hear of. So maybe, when you've mustered up the cow courage inside you to push to the side of the heard, and look over into the distance, beyond the dogs, you can see things that were never available to you previously. Stuff you couldn't get your hooves on. Embrace it and open up your little, controlled cow brain to see issues that are of importance to you. Not because you've been told they're important. But because they really matter.
So basically, it was brought to my attention this week, the sheer amount of impact and influence in which the media has on us - society. We were introduced to the idea of 'Agenda Setting', whereby the media 'constructs reality' - on a similar note to that of News Values (see Lecture Nine).
Whilst I have always known that the media shapes society and ultimately influences us in ways in which I am still unaware, the media has an agenda - to tell us what they believe is important and what they believe we have a right to know - of course your awareness (society), is key. It's important to understand that yes, the media have an agenda, BUT, their agenda is not always fair, honest and right.
Of course, as a history enthusiast, when I read the aforementioned, I immediately think of Adolf Hitler and how he ran Germany with 'propaganda'. This of course - with utmost empathy to this horrific time in history, is a demonstration of agenda setting gone wrong - the power in the wrong hands (and this episode of man's inhumanity to man, only goes to show just how much power the media have).
Moving on, we have four types of agenda. Public Agenda, Policy Agenda, Corporate Agenda and Media Agenda and they all play a part in 'constructing reality'.
So what strengths come with Agenda Setting? Well firstly, it explains why most people prioritise the same issues as important (mass media). It also predicts that people who are exposed to the same media will feel the same issues are important. For example, when Hitler was trying to get Germany to side with him, anything in the media that was against him and his beliefs was completely ruled out of the media. Thus the people of Germany were indoctrinated with only what Hitler wanted them to know, thus, Germany had no reason not to believe him - it was all they knew. And in no way am I saying that this is a strength as such of Agenda Setting, however an example of how the media dictates what society believe is important - and correct. However, Agenda Setting can be proven false - when people aren't exposed to the same media, the won't feel the same issues are important. As you can see, when in the wrong hands, Agenda Setting can be used for all of the wrong reasons.
The weaknesses of Agenda Setting however, is that whilst news has been prioritised, people may not be well-informed or deeply engaged in public affairs. Also, people who have made up their minds on the given news topics, can no longer really be swayed by the media and their efforts to rank news on importance. Lastly, new media has a huuuuugggeeee effect on Agenda Setting. The internet is not limited to a few news items - like news channels, newspapers and radio reporters. The internet knows all. And people know this. So therefore, people aware of Agenda Setting and who do not appreciate being told what is important, are able to decide for themselves what they will rank in terms of priority.
So if this is the case, why does the media set an agenda? Well, Dr Bruce simply responded with "because they can".
Must we then ask if this is working in the favour of the public, or not?
In a way, I sometimes think of society as a heard of cattle (which I know nothing about). The media are the cattle dogs and the news is the drover. The cattle dogs are always responding to the drover - shaping and feeding the cattle with information in order to guide them and direct them in the favoured direction - ultimately determined by the drover and the side he deems most favourable. And as cattle, we go our whole lives responding to these dogs. They shape us, literally. They set boundaries, guidelines, they focus our beliefs, morals and expectations - as determined by the fickle drover - to the point where everything that is important to us (as cattle), is really just what the dogs think is most important. And that's okay, because you're a cow. And you're surrounded by cows - just like you. But sometimes, it's good to be that one cow who is aware that what these dogs are telling you, isn't all there is to know - isn't all that is of importance in this great world. Somewhere, beyond the cattle in front, behind, to your left and to your right - beyond the dogs that are closing in around you, there is another world, full of other important issues, that you may never see or hear of. So maybe, when you've mustered up the cow courage inside you to push to the side of the heard, and look over into the distance, beyond the dogs, you can see things that were never available to you previously. Stuff you couldn't get your hooves on. Embrace it and open up your little, controlled cow brain to see issues that are of importance to you. Not because you've been told they're important. But because they really matter.
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