Mass media: cultural effects

Agenda setting

The effects examined in the various sections on the Marxist view of the media can be broadly summarized under the heading agenda setting. This term is used by media theorists to refer to the way in which the media

• set the order of importance of current issues
• set the terms of reference for the debate on those issues

It's important to bear in mind that there is much disagreement as to whether this agenda-setting effect actually takes place at all. McQuail points out that

Recent assessments tend to leave agenda-setting with the status of a plausible but unproven idea.

McQuail (1984)

Although we've linked agenda-setting together with topics which fall under the broad heading of Marxism, much of the research into evidence of agenda setting effects was conducted in the USA, within the 'empiricist' tradition. It is rather the question of the 'framework of debate' which is a concern of the radical or Marxist 'school'.

For more detailed discussion of these two aspects of agenda-setting, please choose:

How the media may set the order of importance of current issues

How the media may set the terms of reference of a debate on current issues

See also:

Excellent article on agenda-setting by Scott P. Robinson

Introduction to Mass Media Effects

Glossary of media studies terms