It can hardly be argued that a functioning mass media is anything less than a major requirement for a functioning democracy. Dahl (2005), though not fully giving deference to the mass media, argues that the access to alternative information is required to help citizens understand issues within the political environment, how to participate effectively, and have sufficient knowledge of the public agenda. Given the sheer size of the U.S. electorate, the only channel through which this information may be hoped to proliferate is through mass media. From the perspective of a basic two-step flow model, the concepts of framing and indexing will be addressed and compared. The findings of several studies of media effects will then be examined in light
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It should be acknowledged that framing is a natural form of communication, in that communicating events or ideas naturally requires emphasis on some aspects, and downplaying or ignoring others (Entman, 1993). The types of framing that Iyengar examines are general, and focus on a method of story telling. The frames that Drier and Martin examine are indigenous to the event being reported. Thus, framing occurs on various levels, as a method of narrative communication, and as a particular “spin” on a story. Framing primarily occurs in the second step of the information flow. This is primarily seen in the reporting on ACORN, in which certain aspects of the story were consistently highlighted (Drier and Martin, 2010). Indexing is the practice discussed by Bennet (2007) in which media outlets report the information they receive from official governmental sources unquestioningly. Indexing occurs solely in the first step of the communication model. In addition, framing and indexing can occur simultaneously. The information that is being presented by official sources contains it’s own frame, and is the preferred information that is presented by the media outlets that pick it …show more content…
Specifically she argues that pull media challenges the agenda-setting function of mass media (along with arguing that several other media effects theories need to be reconceptualized). Polarization seems to be an outcome of a public that has fragmented agendas based on their media choices. Problem definition on a mass scale then becomes substantially difficult if different segments of the population understand or experience the problem in different
It should be acknowledged that framing is a natural form of communication, in that communicating events or ideas naturally requires emphasis on some aspects, and downplaying or ignoring others (Entman, 1993). The types of framing that Iyengar examines are general, and focus on a method of story telling. The frames that Drier and Martin examine are indigenous to the event being reported. Thus, framing occurs on various levels, as a method of narrative communication, and as a particular “spin” on a story. Framing primarily occurs in the second step of the information flow. This is primarily seen in the reporting on ACORN, in which certain aspects of the story were consistently highlighted (Drier and Martin, 2010). Indexing is the practice discussed by Bennet (2007) in which media outlets report the information they receive from official governmental sources unquestioningly. Indexing occurs solely in the first step of the communication model. In addition, framing and indexing can occur simultaneously. The information that is being presented by official sources contains it’s own frame, and is the preferred information that is presented by the media outlets that pick it …show more content…
Specifically she argues that pull media challenges the agenda-setting function of mass media (along with arguing that several other media effects theories need to be reconceptualized). Polarization seems to be an outcome of a public that has fragmented agendas based on their media choices. Problem definition on a mass scale then becomes substantially difficult if different segments of the population understand or experience the problem in different