Ivy Joyce C. Dimarucut
ABMC-4A
(MONDAY-2:30-5:30 PM)

Setting the Agenda

As the reformulated and expanded agenda-setting theory states:

“Media not only tell us what to think about, but how to think about it, and, consequently, what to think”---- this means that Agenda setting depict a very powerful influence of the media – the ability to tell us what issues are important. It is the creation of public awareness and concern of salient issues by the news media.

Based on the core assumptions and statements that I’ve read, the two basis assumptions underlie most research on agenda-setting: (1) the press and the media do not reflect reality; they filter and shape it; (2) media concentration on a few issues and subjects leads the public to perceive those issues as more important than other issues.

The Statement on the other hand, as stated by Bernard Cohen (1963) says that: “The press may not be successful much of the time in telling people what to think, but it is stunningly successful in telling its readers what to think about.”


Diffusing Information and Innovation

Diffusion is the “process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over a period of time among the members of a social system”.

An innovation on the other hand, is “an idea, practice, or object that is perceived to be new by an individual or other unit of adoption”.

“Communication is a process in which participants create and share information with one another to reach a mutual understanding” (Rogers, 1995).

Diffusing Information and Innovation, indeed plays an important role in giving the public the information that they need to know and so they spread out or share a variety of information to them. This process depicts a force that the mass communication has on its interpersonal communication and networks. It also shows the importance of the relationship between the social systems and the social change.





This theory predicts that media as well as interpersonal contacts provide information and influence opinion and judgment. Studying how innovation occurs, E.M. Rogers presented that it consists of four stages:
1. Invention,
2. Diffusion (or communication) through the social system,
3. Time
4. And consequences

The information flows through networks. The nature of networks and the roles opinion leaders play in them determine the likelihood that the innovation will be adopted. Innovation diffusion research has attempted to explain the variables that influence how and why users adopt a new information medium, an example to this is the internet.

Opinion leaders exert influence on audience behaviour via their personal contact, but additional intermediaries called change agents and gatekeepers are also included in the process of diffusion.




Defining Social Support

“Spiral of silence theory” also known as “the silent majority” can be applied when it comes to decision-making. For instance there is this one group of friends who are experiencing a tough decision-making. One of the members who do not comment or give any suggestions about that specific issue/problem can be misinterpreted by the other members that he/she thinks that he’s or her opinion may give conflict to the issue.

On the other hand, if that person would give her point of view and it will also be in favour for the other members, thus more members will agree and are more likely to express their views.

More importantly, public opinion develops as individual’s collectively distinguished support for their views through personal interaction and by attending to the mass media.

Media coverage is evidence about the effect of spiral of silence on the public opinion. But, realizing individual’s ever-changing behaviour/attitude as a response on their social environments and public opinion translates rather directly into public relations practice.