The Fact
Yes. Agenda-setting research found that the amount and prominence of news coverage can influence which issues audiences regard as important. McCombs and Shaw’s classic 1972 study described news selection and display as helping shape the public agenda.
What This Means
Media influence does not require telling people exactly what opinion to hold. Influencing what people spend their attention thinking about can itself shape perceived importance.
Sources
- McCombs, M. E., & Shaw, D. L. (1972). “The Agenda-Setting Function of Mass Media.” Public Opinion Quarterly 36(2):176–187. https://doi.org/10.1086/267990