Which of the following best describes agenda-setting as it relates to public salience of issues?

• A. The media tells people what to think about and what to think.
• B. The media tells people how to solve issues directly.
• C. The media influences which issues are salient in the public domain.
• D. The media has no effect on public opinion.

Answer: (C)

Agenda-setting is about how media shapes what people regard as important by emphasizing certain issues. When news outlets repeatedly cover particular topics, those issues rise in prominence in the public mind, becoming what people talk about, worry about, and see as policy priorities. It’s not about telling people what to think or how to solve problems, nor about having no effect; it’s about directing attention to specific topics so they feel more salient in public life.