In Maxwell McCombs & Donald Shaw’s Agenda-Setting Theory, their initial claim is that the news media does not tell the public what to think, but tells them what to think about. The mass media has the ability to transfer the importance of items on their news agendas to the public agenda. According to McCombs & Shaw, “we judge as important, what the media judge as important” (Griffin, 359). They know that people have their own minds and ideas of what each thinks are important. On the other hand, the people that are the most influenced by the media agenda are those with a high need for orientation or a high “index of curiosity.” McCombs & Shaw later concluded that the media does not only tell the public what to think about, but they also may tell the public how to think about it, what to think about it, and possibly what to do about it (Griffin, 366).
This is a CNN news clip about Michael Phelps being caught in a photograph, smoking marijuana out of a bong. This portrays the Agenda-Setting Theory, because it is a clip of news media that is telling the public that this is important. This clip extends to almost nine-minutes in length, so CNN must find it to be an important news topic. The news reporter starts off this segment mentioning that Michael Phelps is a “role model” and is asking for people’s opinion on what they think about his actions. Not only is the reporter helping to show the public how they should view Phelps’ actions, but he is asking other people for their opinions as well. This will help mold those watchers, which have a high “index of curiosity,” as to what they should think about the issue.
I agree with McCombs & Shaw in that the news media does shape what the public finds to be important. All news media outlets picked up the Michael Phelps smoking marijuana story and within a week, it seemed that a large amount of people were talking about it.
--Bret Schlein
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I believe that the media plays a very large role in society and what we think on a regular basis in terms of many topics. I think that the way in which a news story can be portrayed alone can influence people on how to view a certain issue one way or another. In the case of the Phelp’s clip here, this broadcast is trying to sway people to see his actions as wrong, and only see his fault now, as well is in the past. Though they discuss his young age, they seem to focus the most on the fact that he still messed up, and how incredibly wrong that could be of him considering his place in the limelight. However, it is such news stories and broadcasts that follow celebrity figures, those who are just as human as everyday people that make mistakes like any average person does. It is the fault of the news programs though, that builds these people up, and only recognizes them in such a broad way when they seem to mess up the most. It is completely unfair, and yet they continue to do it for the entertainment aspect and ratings of their shows. This 100% represents the agenda-setting theory, because our media very much corrupts society and what we should and should not focus on.
ReplyDeleteThe Media plays such a big role in our everyday lives. I think this Michael Phelps story was blown out of preportion by the media. This news anchor starts off his program saying that Phelps is a role model and he shouldn't be doing this, because he has a following, hes a national hero, and hes always in the forefront of news. According to this theory the media can report on stories that they want the populace to view as the most important. This clip features Phelps as the role model and how wrong he is for doing this. He should be the poster boy for all things good. I just wonder what it would be like with just an objective media.
ReplyDeleteeveryone has seen the picture of Michael Phelps smoking bud but the way that the Media has framed this story you would think that Phelps is a bad person. In the clip they say that he is a role model and the media loves when a role model like Phelps does something wrong. i think that people forget that he is 23 years old. they do bring that up brifly in the video, but they focus more on how this act is wrong and how he is this american hero and he should know better. As anyone who opened a newspaper or went online can see that most of the media frams this story in a negitive way, but there is one show that did not attact Philps about his picture, SNL. Insted SNL attacted everyone else from the US Swim team to the person that took the picture at the party. I personaly think that if you can win 7 gold medals in the toughest compatition in the world then you should be allowed to smoke if thats what you want.
ReplyDeleteFirst off I was a little offended when the news anchor grouped all 20 year olds together into one category of "big party-ers". I thought that was unfair and certainly uneducated.
ReplyDeleteAnd secondly, about the contract he signed to be in the public eye. Yes he did sign up to on his behavior since he's an icon and a role model but honestly why is Michael Phelps so picked over? We are all humans, we all make mistakes. Look at the Kennedys, look at the Clintons, like at every celebrity you can think of. He made a mistake, and apologizes for his actions. That was big of him.
I think the media is completely over-doing this situation and this particular news clip did a fantastic job and putting Michael Phelps in an awful light and is certainly not aiding him in earning his reputation back.