Agenda Setting Theory

This theory was created by Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw, in 1972. The theory is based on the media, the theory claims that they are the ones in charge to that tell us what to think. According to the theory they also tell us us what to do about it.“ This impact of the mass media- the ability to effect cognitive change among individuals, to structure their thinking- has been labeled the agenda-setting function of mass communication. Here may lie  the most important effect of mass communication, its ability to mentally order and organize our world for us. In short, the mass media may not be successful in telling us what to think, but they are stunningly successful in telling us what to think about.” For example I tend to research in depth about a topic instead of just guiding trough what the media says. Sometimes they transform information according to what they want to stay, and according to what they want people to believe in. For example in Venezuela the media is controlled by the government and obviously they don't want to show what its really happening in the country. So the media there tries to control what there followers think and believe in.