Abstract

FALASCA, Kajsa. Not minimal but more difficult to measure: A panel study of media effects. OBS* [online]. 2018, vol.12, n.3, pp.48-65. ISSN 1646-5954.

Traditional media effect theories as agenda-setting theory have recently been questioned due to the development of the media environment with media fragmentation and individualized media consumption. Other scholars disagree and suggest that a distinction has to be made between actual media effects and the ease with which they can be measured. Given this scholarly discussion the purpose of this study is to investigate and compare the agenda-setting effects of different media consumption measures on individual issue salience. The study is based on a panel survey that includes different measures of consumption: (1) general news media attention, (2) exposure to different media types such as traditional news media, online news media, and political social media. Overall, the findings suggest that general news media attention might be a more significant measure for consumption in a high-choice media environment. In essence, this study suggests that agenda-setting effects are not becoming non-significant but rather difficult to measure.

Keywords : media effects; agenda-setting; panel data; media attention; media exposure.

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