SOURCES OF THE PUBLIC AGENDA - THE PRESIDENT-PRESS-PUBLIC RELATIONSHIP

This agenda-setting study explores ways that individuals process infor mation issues by examining two potential public agenda sources: the ne ws media and the president of the USA. The researchers used a two-site study to examine the magnitude of influence from media exposure and p erceived credibility of source. It was found that the higher the level of exposure to media and a presidential state-of-the-union message, t he more likely that issues were considered important. However, when bo th were examined simultaneously, media exposure was the more powerful predictor. Source credibility, both of the media and the president, wa s also found to influence how people perceived the importance of issue s.