Agenda Setting and Framing

                 According to Griffin, agenda setting refers to the mass media having the ability to transfer the salience of issues on their news agenda to the public agenda. (2009, p.359). From my understanding, newspaper can be an example where the top news that has been predicted to have a large number of viewers will be placed at the front page.

                 Agenda Setting has two levels.  As mentioned in Theories of Communication, the first level enacts the  common subjects that are most important, and the second level decides what parts of the subject are important. These two levels of agenda setting lead path into what is the function of this concept. The first part of the process is the importance of the issues that are going to be discussed is the media agenda. Second, the issues discussed in the media have an impact over the way the public thinks, this is referred as public agenda. Ultimately the public agenda influences the policy agenda. Furthermore “ the media agenda affects the public agenda, and the public agenda affects the policy agenda.” (Littlejohn, p.320, 2002)


               Therefore agenda setting is used for many purposes to establish the media agenda and to retrieve the opinion of the public. As stated by McCombs, Maxwell and Donald (1977, p.39) agenda setting is very important in the political aspect because the public agenda influences the policy agenda which means that candidates will try to focus on issues that the public wants to hear about. In conclusion the agenda setting theory has many beneficial uses in our society and it is part of our communication.


            During our lecture with Chris, we were asked to solve a   problem about country ’X’. From the problems, the agenda that can lead into solving the problems are government agenda and the public agenda.

1. Government agenda


a) Frame amplification : Focus on spitting and urination as unhealthy and may affect the economy.


b) Frame extension : Decrease of pollution will happen if healthy lifestyles are practiced.


c) Frame bridging : If urination and spittinh can be decreased by the government, foreign companies will invest and therefore, increase budget for health and education.


2. Public agenda


a) Frame amplification : Focus on the improvement of children’s education and its benefits.

b) Frame extension : Extend the importance of education, where this can help improve the economy of the country.


c) Frame bridging : By providing proper education for children, this can decrease crime  activities, and eventually will improve the economy,.

References :

Littlejohn, S. W. (2002). Theories of Human Communication.(7th edition). New Mexico : Wadsworth

McCombs, Maxwell E, and  Donald, L. S. (1977).The Emergence of  American Political Issues. New York : West Publishing Company

Griffin, E. (2009). A first look at communication theory. New                             York: The McGraw-Hill Companies

Aziimah binti Othman (11B8111)