2008 Woodie Awards
Editorial: Think for yourself
Issue date: 2/13/08 Section: Opinion
There is an idea among media scholars called the agenda setting theory. It states that the news media do not tell their audiences what to think, but more what to think about. They do this often through story placement and the amount space or time given to each issue.
Yes, all papers are guilty of this by giving prominence to the stories they feel are relevant to their readers. The point of this, they argue, is to give you the information you need to formulate an opinion and make up your own mind.
With recent coverage of the primaries, major media organizations have demonstrated agenda setting in action with the attention they have given the candidates.
For example, John Edwards' campaign wasn't in the media much until he dropped out, then it was everywhere saying that he broke ground for a lot of the important issues for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Day-to-day coverage of the primaries has focused as much on how much money the candidates are raising (to keep themselves prominent in the media no less) as on their positions on issues.
We were able to identify 23 Democratic and 37 Republican candidates registered with the Federal Elections Commission to run for the world's most powerful office, (not to mention independent candidates and those from smaller parties) but how many ever made it to the front page of your local newspapers? How many can you name? The media narrowed it down to a handful of familiar names long before the Iowa caucus was held.
The basic point is: inform yourself! Read as much as you can. Don't let newspapers direct your attention for you, and be aware of as many sources of information as you can. Use the news as a starting point, but make up your mind on your own.
Yes, all papers are guilty of this by giving prominence to the stories they feel are relevant to their readers. The point of this, they argue, is to give you the information you need to formulate an opinion and make up your own mind.
With recent coverage of the primaries, major media organizations have demonstrated agenda setting in action with the attention they have given the candidates.
For example, John Edwards' campaign wasn't in the media much until he dropped out, then it was everywhere saying that he broke ground for a lot of the important issues for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Day-to-day coverage of the primaries has focused as much on how much money the candidates are raising (to keep themselves prominent in the media no less) as on their positions on issues.
We were able to identify 23 Democratic and 37 Republican candidates registered with the Federal Elections Commission to run for the world's most powerful office, (not to mention independent candidates and those from smaller parties) but how many ever made it to the front page of your local newspapers? How many can you name? The media narrowed it down to a handful of familiar names long before the Iowa caucus was held.
The basic point is: inform yourself! Read as much as you can. Don't let newspapers direct your attention for you, and be aware of as many sources of information as you can. Use the news as a starting point, but make up your mind on your own.
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