Current Critical Problems in Agenda-Setting Research

After experiencing steady development over the past three decades, agenda-setting research appears to be in a period of flux. This paper discusses three current and critical problems that agenda-setting research has been facing recently: the problems of process, identity, and environment. These problems are critical because each has implications that might call into question the value of agenda-setting theory. The process problem concerns the nature of the agenda-setting process, specifically, the degree to which the agenda-setting process is automatic and unthinking. The identity problem asks whether the new concept of attribute agenda setting will become indistinguishable from framing or traditional persuasion research. The environment problem asks if the development of communication technology and the subsequent growth in the number and variety of news outlets will minimize the impact of media agenda setting at the social level, leading to fragmentation of the public agenda. After examining each of the problems, I suggest that the agenda-setting perspective is still worth pursuing, and I present an agenda that agenda-setting research should address for its future development.