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Maxwell McCombs,Sebastian Valenzuela

Setting the Agenda: Mass Media and Public Opinion

Setting the Agenda: Mass Media and Public Opinion

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The book "Setting the Agenda" by Maxwell McCombs and Sebastián Valenzuela examines how the media shapes public opinion and action, exploring the sources, psychological effects, and consequences of media agendas. The third edition includes a discussion of agenda setting in the wider media landscape, expanded material on social media, and a foreword from agenda-setting theory co-founders Donald L. Shaw and David H. Weaver.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 27 November 2020
Publisher: Polity Press


The media has a profound impact on how we perceive public affairs worldwide, playing a significant and often contentious role in shaping the focus of public attention and action. Setting the Agenda, first published in 2004, has emerged as a widely regarded textbook on this critical topic. In this timely third edition, Maxwell McCombs, a pioneer in agenda-setting research, and Sebastián Valenzuela, a distinguished scholar of agenda setting in Latin America, have expanded and revised the book to cater to a new generation of students.

The book delves into the media's influence on our thoughts and perceptions, exploring the sources of media agendas, the psychological mechanisms behind their impact on the public agenda, and the subsequent consequences for attitudes, opinions, and behaviors. This edition introduces a comprehensive discussion of agenda setting in the broader media landscape, encompassing a dedicated chapter on network agenda setting and a detailed examination of agenda melding. Additionally, the book offers expanded coverage of social media and its role in extending the reach of agenda setting beyond the realm of public affairs.

Contributing to the significance of this edition are a foreword by Donald L. Shaw and David H. Weaver, the co-founders of agenda-setting theory. This exciting new edition serves as an invaluable resource for students studying media, communications, and politics, as well as those intrigued by the role of news in shaping and guiding public opinion.

Weight: 394g
Dimension: 153 x 227 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781509535804
Edition number: 3rd Edition

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