Navigating the Mass Media’s Political Agenda Setting Role: A Case Study of Ghana

Abstract

The role of the mass media in establishing political agendas is examined in the paper along with its advantages and disadvantages. A small case study of Ghana is used to examine how radio affects election agenda-setting. It has been observed that the mass media has a substantial influence on agenda-setting, and that influence is crucial for bringing to the public's attention urgent developmental issues. The media can set the agenda for the public on pressing issues that deserve attention through agenda-setting. Aside from this, agenda-setting has grown over time to include important topics like the environment, education, health, and risk communication in addition to its basic focus on political communication. Thus, agenda-setting plays a part in a wide range of societal developments. The agenda-setting theory's initial claim about traditional media, however, is being contested. The challenge is caused by the introduction of new media forms. Because of this, the general population is now exposed to a variety of information sources, not just a few media providers. Due to the widespread availability of a variety of media, the conventional media's initial function has been significantly diminished. Therefore, it is important to consider how the general public shapes the media's agenda through interactions on various digital channels, like social media.

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