The document discusses the agenda setting theory of the news media. It states that while the media may not be able to directly tell people what to think, it is very successful in telling people what to think about. It also notes that for most people, political reality is defined by what is reported in the news. The document then outlines three models of agenda setting - awareness, salience, and priorities. It lists some of the tools used in agenda setting, such as placement of stories, frequency, scope, and how stories are presented. Finally, it provides details on a proposed media research project to analyze agenda setting across various German news websites.

1. The Agenda Setting Theory

2. Every day uncountable events take place…
Earth: aprox. 7000000000 people, 193 countries

3. ... and some events appear in the news media.

4. What is important?
Reporting Gatekeeping Agenda Setting

5. Agenda Setting
The news media „may not be successful
much of the time in telling people
what to think, but it is stunningly
successful in telling [them]
what to think about”.
(Cohen, 1963, S.13)
„For most people political reality is what is
in the news“
(Mathes & Rudolph, 1991, S. 183)

6. Agenda Setting
The Modells
1. The Awareness Modell
2. The Salience Modell
3. The Priorities Modell

7. Agenda Setting
The tools:
- placement / „lead stories“
- frequency
- scope
- presentation (vividness, surprise,
personalization, priming, framing)

9. Media Research Project
- Place of Research: www
- Comparative Study
- Cross Sectional Study
- Research Question: Is the agenda setting of the
German mainstream news websites (see list)
homogenous or heterogenous?
- Method: The first five posted articles / videos /
pictures on fifteen news websites are identified,
written down and compared.