San Juan, Ruby Joy C.

PR – Monday 2:30 to 5:30 PM

August 10, 2009

SETTING THE AGENDA

This theory of mass communication effects build on Lippman’s notion of media impact by distinguishing between what we think about and what we think. The difference between these two is that the first one refers to what we know about (cognition) and the other one refers to our opinions and feelings (predisposition). It suggests that mass media can have substantial and important impact to the cognitive level without affecting predisposition.

The more the issues are important to the public, the more the mass media will emphasize and cover the issues. The effect of the media agenda setting to an individual is that (1) the media coverage can elevate the public standing of issues, people, organizations, institutions (2) if the media attention change it could lead to public priority changes (3) the more the people are concerned about something, the more they tend to learn about it, the stronger their opinions are of it, and the more they take actions on it (4) media coverage can affect the agenda priorities of some specific and important publics, such as legislators, regulators, and other policy makers.

Mass communication can affect public opinion by raising the highlight of an issue and positions taken by people and groups in the news. Agenda setting theory contributes to the conceptual foundation for public relations mass communication.

There are two concepts in agenda setting that can be useful in public relations (1) Issue salience verify the prominence and penetration the issue has with the audience. Researchers had found that the largest predictor of issue salience is the frequency of discussion. Therefore, if the issue is being discussed repeatedly by the public it became more prominent and the issue is being diffused extensively. (2) Cognitive priming describes the personal experience or connection someone has with an issue. Researchers thought that a person with little or no personal experience on an issue must rely on the media for information. On the other hand, it is expected that the media have a weak impact to a person who has a personal experience with the issue.

DIFFUSING INFORMATION AND INNOVATION

Further than setting the issue agenda, comes the diffusing of information and innovation. Sources may come from different social, economic, and educational backgrounds but it is within reach through media. The media provide information from sources which would not be available through interpersonal networks.

People get information and learn from the media and share it to other individuals. Basically, mass media provide information to those who seek for it and supply information needed for later interpersonal communication, thus the diffusion of information takes place.

Ideas or innovations are more readily adopted if they are (1) more advantageous than the current situation, (2) compatible with previous experience and other aspects of the situation, (3) simple, (4) easily tried, and (5) observable with readily apparent outcomes.

Innovators are first to adopt the news followed by à early adopters’ àearly majority àlate majority àlaggards

DEFINING SOCIAL SUPPORT

Individuals who think their opinion conflicts with the opinions of the majority of other people tend to remain silent and commonly referred as “the silent majority”. If the majority agreed but do not recognize social support, their silence and their inactivity may result in to an invalid assumption that some people do not support a particular view. In contrast, individuals who think that many others share their view or that the number of people who agree is growing rapidly are more likely to express their views. Public opinion occurs as individuals in the group determine support for their views through personal interaction and by attending to mass media.

The spiral begins when individuals choose to remain silent or decide to express their views. It continues as others observe and assess their social environment. It increases evident authority when increasing numbers of individuals translate their observations into either public silence or expression. It is strengthen when the media cover the views being expressed powerfully and frequently.

Media coverage can reflect, enforce, or challenge the spiral of silence effect on public opinion. These are few examples of public information campaigns that can break the spiral of silence, domestic violence, sexual harassment and stalking. Mass communication plays a key role in redefining socially accepted and behavior.

The sociocultural model of persuasion shows the mass media messages provides individuals the picture of their social environment, of whether there is a social approval or disapproval. This sociocultural model of communication effects suggests that "messages presented via the mass media may provide the appearance of consensus regarding orientation and action with respect to a given object or goal of persuasion."