The Relationship Between The TV News Media And Public Agendas On Electoral Issues In India

Abstract

The agenda-setting model developed by McCombs and Shaw (1972) suggests that there is a strong correlation betweenthe media agenda (salience of issues) set by news media and the public agenda (public opinion) of its respective audience. Further, later studies have emphasised other contingent conditions that largely shape the public agenda and increase or decrease the salience transfer of issues from media to the public. However, it has been observed that there are a smaller number of academic works focusing on agenda-setting theory in developing countries like India. Thus against the backdrop of the scope for agenda-setting work on television news media in developing countries combined with contingent conditions, this empirical study has explored the agenda-setting roles of two Hindi news channels (Aaj Tak and NDTV India) on major electoral issues during the general elections of 2014. Quantitative research design has been adopted wherein the content analysis of news items/objects related to the issues broadcast by these two news channels was conducted during January-March, 2014 combined with a survey of 384 viewers from key urban parliamentary constituencies of three states to examine the relationship between media and public agenda. This quantitative study has established a significant correlation between the media agenda of Aaj Tak and NDTV India and the public agenda of their respective viewers during the general elections of 2014.