Agenda Setting

Max Browning
April 10, 2015
Observation 8

As I said in class when asked about where I receive most of my news updates, I am more or less not updated on anything in current events; therefore, these situations regarding media communication are extremely difficult for me to find.  That being said, after googling for the Daily News website, the top story was about the International Justice Mission's Stand for Freedom.  The article talked about how this student organization is standing for 24 hours in honor of the victims of sex trafficking worldwide.  Stephanie Metzger, the organization's president, talked about the importance of the event and the awareness it creates for students on Ball State University's campus.

The Agenda Setting theory has a mantra that the media does not tell us what to think, but what to think about and how to think about it.  After reading this article in the Daily News, I could only think that sex trafficking is a major problem in the world today and that it needed to be stopped; however, the article is certainly framed to help tell the organization's mission.  The theory states that there are three different aspects of framing: selection, exclusion and emphasis.  The story selected to include the voices of long time members of International Justice Mission as well as a passerby who happened to sign the petition at the beckoning of a friend.  The story excludes the voices of anyone against their standpoint or who views sex trafficking in a different way.  Lastly, the article seems to emphasize how little awareness there is on Ball State University's campus in regards to sex trafficking - especially in relation to within Indiana.

I was surprised that the Daily News found this topic to be as salient as they did.  It was placed above other, heavier BSU topics such as JJH's resignation or the Outstanding Senior Award.  Part of me believes that the Daily News's current agenda is to get us to think about our University's study organizations who are doing great things and to think less about some drama going on with our administration.

Side note: Before I started working on this project again, I was actually at the Stand for Freedom.  Here's a fun picture of me power-pointing and trying to act tough.