The Conditional Nature of Presidential Agenda Influence on TV News: The Case of Education

Authors

  • Amber E. Boydstun University of California, Davis
  • Rens Vliegenthart University of Amsterdam
  • Marshall L. Baker DrinkerBiddle

Keywords:

agenda setting, president, media, education

Abstract

The president’s ability to influence media attention is crucial to theoretical understandings of institutional agenda setting. We add a key caveat: the conditional nature of how presidential attention influences media attention to a given issue. We highlight two conditioning variables: The president’s party and the degree of public concern for the issue. Presidential influence on media is enhanced when his or her party “owns” the issue. But since public concern about an issue tends to prompt saturated media coverage, strong public concern mitigates presidential influence on the media. We test these ideas by examining presidential and television attention to education, 1974–2007. Using time-series models, we find support for our hypotheses, with implications for political communication research and applied political strategy.

Author Biographies

Amber E. Boydstun, University of California, Davis

Associate Professor of Political Science, UC Davis

Rens Vliegenthart, University of Amsterdam

Full Professor of Media and Society, University of Amsterdam

Marshall L. Baker, DrinkerBiddle

Law Associate, DrinkerBiddle

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Published

2017-06-14

Issue

Vol. 11 (2017)

Section

Articles

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