A collective textbook-guide by Colaboratoria
Media monitoring in agenda research
- Ksenia NikitinaAuthor
With the development of digital technologies, agenda-setting research requires new analytical tools. One of these tools is media monitoring—the process of systematic observation of media content. Its importance increases significantly within the framework of agenda-setting theory. This chapter examines the core principles of the theory, the methodology and models through which agendas are established, as well as the media monitoring algorithm.
01/ Agenda-setting theory:
Origins, Emergence, and Stages of Development
Agenda setting theory — a theory of mass political communication that makes it possible to analyze and evaluate the influence of the media on society.
According to the theory, mass media assign importance to certain topics without substantially affecting the already formed worldview of the audience. With the development of digital technologies, various events, phenomena, and personalities acquire significance through their presence in the digital media space. By using automated tools to monitor traditional media and social media, the analytical potential of this theory can be revealed.
Agenda - the set of issues discussed during a specific period of time.
The founding fathers of the theory are considered to be Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw. They were the first to formulate the term "agenda setting."
Agenda setting — the process of establishing the significance of discussed topics; the introduction of an agenda into the audience’s consciousness.
A precursor to the theory can be found in Walter Lippmann’s thesis that information perceived through the media is shaped into a system of stereotypes and identified with an individual’s interests. In the process of perception, the flow of information from mass media is influenced by images already present in the audience’s consciousness. Public opinion represents a version of facts encoded through stereotypes.
Stereotype — a perception and interpretation pattern based on prior experience regarding an observed object. Stereotypes may arise as a result of targeted media influence.
The media influence effect observed by W. Lippmann was overstated, which motivated further research into the relationship between the picture transmitted by the media and its perception by the audience. An impetus for the development of the theory by M. McCombs and D. Shaw came from a political theorist Bernard Cohen.
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The press may not… tell people what to think, but it is stunningly successful in telling its readers what to think about
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The press may not… tell people what to think, but it is stunningly successful in telling its readers what to think about— B. Cohen
In other words, the world looks different to different people, depending on the picture that writers, editors, and publishers of the newspapers they read draw for them. The media cannot influence already established attitudes and worldviews of individuals in society, but they can shift the significance of events and phenomena by choosing what to cover and how to cover them, directing public attention. Public attitudes toward various events are formed through the ranking of topics in the media.
It is important to emphasize that in Russian scholarship this theory was first applied by E.G. Dyakova and A.D. Trakhtenberg in the 1990s-2000s. They also noted that in the digital environment, the personal agenda of an individual citizen becomes a media agenda. That is why, for internet users, agendas are shaped not only by traditional media but also by popular bloggers. Digitalization does not negate the general patterns identified within the theory.
Stages in the development of agenda-setting research
1920s–1940s
1920s–1940s
Thesis on the relationship between media and public agendas
W. Lippmann
1940s–1960s
1940s–1960s
Status-conferral function of the media, salience, thesis of media-imposed topic prioritization
P. Lazarsfeld, R. Merton; B. S. Cohen
1970s
1970s
Definition of the agenda-setting process. Explanation of components and models of agenda setting (salience, awareness, priorities). First macro-level studies ("trigger events")
M. McCombs, D. Shaw; R. Cobb, C. Elder; J. R. Funkhouser
1980s
1980s
First experimental micro-level studies (interpersonal agenda). "Issue ignition" effect
S. Iyengar, D. Kinder
1990s–2000s
1990s–2000s
Introduction of the theory into Russian scholarship
E. G. Dyakova, A. D. Trakhtenberg
2000s–2010s
2000s–2010s
Phenomenon of reverse agenda setting in social media, declining role of traditional media “gatekeepers,” increased significance of personal agendas
02/ Agenda-setting theory:
General Principles and Areas of Application
Core principles
The core principles of agenda-setting theory include:
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The media do not reflect reality but shape perceptions of it by filtering facts;
- The media focus attention on certain issues, as a result of which the public perceives these issues as priorities.
Advantages of the Theory
- Flexible methodology — research can be designed using classical models and levels of analysis or combined with other digital data analysis tools;
- When studying digital media space, the theory reveals a complex, unpredictable network of interactions with multiple directions.
Limitations of the Theory
- the agenda is limited by the institutional environment in which it is formed and therefore reflects only the opinion of a specific institution or social group;
- the phenomenon of reverse agenda setting, in which society influences the media through social media;
- the phenomenon of media bias;
- difficulties in distinguishing types of agendas across different time periods;
- data collection for analysis is labor-intensive without automation.
Areas of application
Areas of application of the theory in the study of digital international relations include:
- stereotypes about various phenomena and social groups;
- foreign policy image of a state, portrayal of political leaders;
- influence of public opinion on political decision-making;
- electoral behavior, social movements, changes in party programs;
- public opinion about international conflicts and their participants;
- tracking audience interest in global political events;
- identifying relationships between communication channels, publication sources, and target audiences.
03/ Agenda-setting theory:
The Agenda-Setting Process
The agenda-setting process is the intersection of efforts by representatives of various media outlets, the state, political institutions, and interest groups to assert topic priorities. This process can also be viewed as a struggle aimed at attracting attention to various issues, but it should be remembered that it may be affected by unpredictable events.
Main components of the agenda-setting process
- Political agenda
- Media agenda
- Public agenda
- Personal agenda
- Political agenda
- Media agenda
- Public agenda
- Personal agenda
A list of priority issues whose resolution requires state intervention. The list includes tasks of national importance recognized by the majority of political actors. Topics of the political agenda are voiced in official statements, published in government documents, and party programs.
The political agenda often determines the media agenda, since political actors whose statements dominate the media space transform their priorities into a system of media priorities.
The political agenda often determines the media agenda, since political actors whose statements dominate the media space transform their priorities into a system of media priorities.
The media agenda consists of dominant topics in the media, formed by media market actors during news publication (agenda building).
The media perform a "gatekeeping" function by filtering news pegs that reach editorial offices. In the digital environment, social media algorithms act as "gatekeepers."
The media perform a "gatekeeping" function by filtering news pegs that reach editorial offices. In the digital environment, social media algorithms act as "gatekeepers."
The public agenda comprises widely discussed topics in society, formed on the basis of personal audience experience under the influence of political and media agendas.
The public agenda depends on the media agenda to the extent that social groups rely on the media as a source of accessible information.
The public agenda depends on the media agenda to the extent that social groups rely on the media as a source of accessible information.
The most important socio-political topics for an individual, including issues raised in popular blogs.
The personal agenda consists of:
The personal agenda consists of:
- the interpersonal agenda (a system of priorities regarding issues discussed within a specific social group);
- the perceived public agenda (personal views on which issues are important in the group to which the individual belongs).
04/ Agenda-setting theory:
Methodology within the Theory
Before the emergence of digital media, the dynamics of assigning issue significance through the media were one-directional. Traditional media (newspapers, TV news channels, radio broadcasts, etc.) had a direct influence on maintaining the significance of issues among the public: the more coverage an issue received, the more important it appeared. Early studies showed that media influence persisted for 1−8 weeks, with an average retention effect of about 3 weeks. Though this timeframe may be compressed in digital space.
Standard methodology
The standard methodology within the theory involves comparing the significance of issues in media content with public perceptions of problems and identifying pathways through which an issue enters the agenda. M. McCombs and D. Shaw gradually identified correlations between issues mentioned in the media and issues that concerned the studied audience.
Stages of the standard methodology:
Select objects—the focus of attention: topics, issues, problems
Determine object priority in the media through content analysis
Determine object priority among the audience via sociological surveys
Mathematically identify correlations between steps 2 and 3
Interpret the data
Conduct verification: compare with real conditions using indicators and statistics
Extended methodology
The extended methodology involves a two-level analysis:
First-level agenda setting
The media filter events. The more the media report on a specific issue, the greater its salience.
Second-level agenda setting
The media attempt to influence how the audience perceives objects already made salient at the first level.
Agenda-setting models
In the digital space, the media’s ability to maintain issue significance is influenced by issue persistence or conflict, user trust in sources, and participation in interpersonal discussions on social media. These factors are supported by news feed personalization algorithms. How does an issue become significant?
Models through which agendas are established include:
Awareness assumes a direct correlation between media and public agendas: the media communicate that an issue is important.
Audience awareness is determined by differentiating important and unimportant topics based on mention presence: a media agenda topic is unconditionally perceived as socially significant based on its presence or absence in the media agenda.
Audience awareness is determined by differentiating important and unimportant topics based on mention presence: a media agenda topic is unconditionally perceived as socially significant based on its presence or absence in the media agenda.
Priority allows the description of key areas where significant problems exist: the more media coverage an issue receives, the more important it is considered by the audience.
Topic priority is determined by the frequency of mentions.
Topic priority is determined by the frequency of mentions.
Salience indicates the degree to which an issue stands out on the agenda relative to others during a specific period. Some issues are pushed to the background, while the most significant issues remain salient.
The salience of issues on the media agenda predicts how the public agenda is formed.
The salience of issues on the media agenda predicts how the public agenda is formed.
Как правило, исследователь, придерживающийся теории установления повестки дня, ставит перед собой задачу измерить, как меняется важность тем и по каким причинам происходит это изменение.
Research process: over a specific period, news headlines from the most popular media are collected daily, and daily audience surveys are conducted to assess familiarity with the headlines. Then the proportion of matches between topics named by respondents and topics dominating the media is calculated using the formula K = n/N, where n is the number of topics recognized by each respondent and N is the total number of mentions of all selected topics in the media. The higher the coefficient, the more recognizable the headline. Topics are then ranked by coefficient, and all indicators are presented in tabular form. The formula calculates the proportion of the media output that the public might be aware of.
If you calculate K for each topic, you can get a list of recognition ratios. In this case, n is the total number of times the topic was recognized by the surveyed group (collective recognition), N is the total number of media mentions of the topic in the collected headlines (media volume). Then topics should be ranked by their K scores. Another list should contain a rank of topics by N number. The final step is to compare two ranked lists and find correlation between them.
For digital media researchers, the essence of agenda setting is identifying moments when issue importance changes (salience of a topic shifts). The process of tracking issues in the digital space is called monitoring and can be conducted manually or automated.
/05
Media Monitoring Algorithm
Initial data collection for agenda analysis can be conducted manually using internet search engines. This process can also be automated: empirical data for agenda-setting research are provided by monitoring tools and media databases.
Media monitoring — the tracking, recording, and interpretation of mentions of the monitoring object.
Monitoring includes statistical processing of topic presence in the media according to quantitative and qualitative criteria such as reach and positive or negative coverage trends or statistical relationships with the thematic environment.
The main drawback of this data collection method is the need to contact PR agencies or request access to specialized services, which is not always free.
Stages of the monitoring algorithm:
Constructing a query using a monitoring system
Data collection
Data normalization: removal of duplicates
Report compilation based on metrics provided by the monitoring system
The algorithm’s operation is demonstrated using the IQBuzz monitoring system as an example. Each monitoring service has its own query requirements and logical operators.
/06
Example Study Using IQBuzz
Objective: to identify changes in Russian audience interest in the President of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, amid a political crisis.
/ STEP 1
Search query
The search query is constructed using keywords. In this example, the monitoring object is a person, so the query consists of one keyword — the president’s name in different spelling variants. The monitoring period corresponds to the presidential term: May 10, 2022 — December 14, 2024.
/ STEP 2
Query metrics
The search query generates a report based on the following metrics:
- Discussion PeakNumber of messages and date: on June 12, 2024, the highest number of messages was recorded—143. This may be attributed to the South Korean president’s visit to Kazakhstan. A similar spike occurred during the 2024 political crisis due to coverage on LiveJournal. State media showed low publication activity during this period.
- ReachReach indicates the potential number of users who may have seen messages mentioning the South Korean president. It is calculated based on the number of friends or followers of the message author or community/group subscribers.
- EngagementAverage number of messages per author during the selected period. The higher the index, the more messages each participant posted.
- ActivityActivity shows the average number of messages per day — 2.3 messages.
/ STEP 3
Query results
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If the number of "likes" (252) is compared with the total number of publications (2313), approximately 10% of all publications received positive feedback.
- There were 10 sources mentioning the South Korean president over the entire period. The chart shows weekly publication counts by source.
- The volume of state media covering Yoon Suk Yeol exceeds that of independent media and social media. The main sources of information about the South Korean president’s activities are state media.
- Comparing audience reach (420,543) with the number of publications (2313) shows an average of 181 views per publication.
- Interest in this individual among Russian readers is low, given that sources are primarily state media with large audiences.
- Publication tone is mostly neutral, likely due to state media coverage.
/ STEP 4
Chart interpretation
The table presents weekly publication counts with tone distribution: positive, negative, neutral, or mixed. These data can be used to correlate interest spikes with events. Any events can be examined to establish correlations with mentions of South Korea’s head of state. Data interpretation depends on the research question.
Practicum
Using the recommended literature, formulate definitions within agenda-setting: "news peg," "trigger event," and "issue ignition."
Correct answer:
News peg — an event or statement that attracts the interest of media representatives and the audience and serves as the basis for publishing a news item.
Trigger event — a sudden event that does not fully reflect reality but becomes embedded in the media space due to its compatibility with the format of certain media outlets. Such an event pushes a specific issue into the media and political agenda.
Issue ignition (thematic ignition) — heightened media attention to an issue that leads to shifts in the hierarchy of public priorities.
Correct answer:
News peg — an event or statement that attracts the interest of media representatives and the audience and serves as the basis for publishing a news item.
Trigger event — a sudden event that does not fully reflect reality but becomes embedded in the media space due to its compatibility with the format of certain media outlets. Such an event pushes a specific issue into the media and political agenda.
Issue ignition (thematic ignition) — heightened media attention to an issue that leads to shifts in the hierarchy of public priorities.
Consider how the agenda-setting process differs in traditional media and digital media.
Correct answer:
In the digital space, additional variables driven by algorithms intervene in the agenda-setting process. There is a phenomenon of reverse agenda setting, which occurs when users create content and independently promote certain topics on social media.
Correct answer:
In the digital space, additional variables driven by algorithms intervene in the agenda-setting process. There is a phenomenon of reverse agenda setting, which occurs when users create content and independently promote certain topics on social media.
Determine which agenda-setting model is being described and explain why.
- Local media often write about the upcoming construction of a ski base. Reports on this stand out noticeably against information about the construction of an ice rink and a waste landfill, but the topic does not interest all city residents.
- Many city residents actively discuss the construction of a new ski base because they read about it in a local newspaper. At the same time, residents are unaware of the construction of a new ice rink in the same city, since this issue is not covered by local media.
- Some city residents closely follow the construction of the new ski base because they frequently read about it in the local newspaper. These same residents know little about the construction of a waste landfill that will worsen the environmental situation, because this issue receives little coverage in local media.
- Salience model (the public agenda does not fully reflect the media agenda. Some topics presented in the media space will appear on the agenda of only certain individuals. For example, if the media report on topic "A," an individual may care about topic "A" less than its level of representation in the media suggests).
- Awareness model (if the media report on topic "A," society is more likely to be aware of topic "A" rather than topic "B," indicating full correspondence between the media and public agendas).
- Priority model (if the media report on topic "A," some individuals will be more concerned with this topic, while topic "B" may be more relevant to society but is reported on less frequently or insufficiently).
Try to gain access to one of the media and social media monitoring systems listed in the recommended resources at the end of the chapter. Familiarize yourself with query languages and construct a query relevant to your research topic.
For example, key rules for MediaLogia search queries include:
• Operator "|" or "OR" for OR conditions;
• Operator "&" for AND conditions;
• Quotation marks for phrases;
• Parentheses "()" for grouping queries;
• Operator "/" to specify the number of words between query parts.
The full list of rules is provided in each service’s interface or documentation.
For example, key rules for MediaLogia search queries include:
• Operator "|" or "OR" for OR conditions;
• Operator "&" for AND conditions;
• Quotation marks for phrases;
• Parentheses "()" for grouping queries;
• Operator "/" to specify the number of words between query parts.
The full list of rules is provided in each service’s interface or documentation.
- Dyakova E. G. (2003) Mass political communication in agenda-setting theory: from effect to process // Polis. Political Studies. No. 3. Pp. 109−119.
- Kaminchenko D. I. (2022) Research on the information agenda: methodological tools for comparative analysis // Communication Studies. Vol. 9. No. 4. Pp. 689−706.
- Cobb R., Elder C. (1972) Participation in American Politics: The Dynamics of Agenda-Building. Boston: Allyn and Bacon Inc. Pp. 182.
- Dearing J., Rogers E. (1996) Agenda-Setting. Series: Communication Concepts. Vol. 6. Thousand Oaks, London, New Delhi: Sage Publications. Pp.152.
- Lippmann W. (1922) Public Opinion. New York: Harcourt. P. 105−111.
- Majone G. (2006) Agenda Setting. In Moran M., Rein M., Robert E. The Oxford Handbook of Public Policy, Volume 3. P. 228−242.
- McCombs, M. E. (2014) Setting the Agenda: The Mass Media and Public Opinion. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263 089 412_Setting_the_Agenda_The_mass_media_and_public_opinion_2nd_edition_Cambridge_England_Polity_Press_2014
- McCombs M. E., Shaw D. L. (1972) The agenda-setting function of mass media. Public Opinion Quarterly, 36(2), p. 176−187.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/209 410 047_The_Agenda-Setting_Function_of_Mass_Media
- McCombs M. E., Weaver D. H. (1985) Towards a merger of gratifications and agenda setting research. In K. E. Rosengren, L. A. Wenner, & P. Palmgreen, Handbook of Political Communication. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. P. 95−108.
Russian-language social media monitoring systems and media databases:
- Babkee: https://www.babkee.ru/
- Katyusha: https://www.m13.ru/
- Kribrum: https://www.kribrum.ru/
- PressIndex: https://pressindex.ru/monitoring-smi
- Brand Analytics: https://brandanalytics.ru/
- Journalist request service: https://pressfeed.ru/
- Semantic Force: https://semanticforce.ai/ru
- Sonix: https://sonix.ai/ru/media-monitoring
- IQBuzz: https://iqbuzz.pro/
- Medialogia: https://www.mlg.ru/
- Integrum: https://integrum.ru/monitoring-smi
- SCAN-Interfax: https://scan-interfax.ru/
- blueReport: https://www.bluereport.net/en/
- Factiva: https://www.dowjones.com/professional/factiva/
- LexisNexis: https://www.lexisnexis.com/en-us
- Meltwater: https://www.meltwater.com/en
- Semantic Visions: https://www.semantic-visions.com/
- CEDROM-SNI/Europresse: https://www.europresse.com/a-propos-deuropresse/
- Swissdox: https://swissdox.ch/
- Argus Data Insights: https://www.argusdatainsights.de/en/
- Center für Monitoring, Analyse und Strategie: https://cemas.io/
- Cision: https://www.cision.com/
- Mediatpress:https://www.mediatpress.eu/
- Newslive: https://newslive.de/en/
- Onclusive: https://onclusive.com/
- Pressrelations: https://www.pressrelations.com/en
- PMG Presse-Monitor:https://www.pressemonitor.de/en/
- Swissdox: https://swissdox.ch/
- Wisers: https://www.wisers.com.cn/en/
