A COMPARISON OF FACTORS INFLUENCING ISSUE DIVERSITY IN THE US AND TAIWAN

The study extends agenda-setting research by examining issue diversity : as a consequence of media exposure. Results from two surveys-one con ducted in the United States, the other in Taiwan-illustrate difference s in the cultures of the two samples. In general, older individuals wh o find low utility in advertising information but who read a variety o f newspapers and feel a strong civic duty to keep informed believe the re are many important issues facing the United States. Younger, highly educated individuals who have a high interest in political news and w ho read a variety of newspapers believe there are many important issue s facing Taiwan.