How does Mass Media shape the public's agenda of issues

This question has an extremely simple answer. Mass Media is how many, if not all, people get their information from. For the most part, without the media no one would have any idea about what was going on other than possibly small town events. Television, newspapers, magazines, books, the internet. These are the places that people go to find out what is going on in their state, the country, and if they are interested even the world. Anyone can get information as quickly as they can click a mouse. The question we are answering, however, is not how quickly people can get news from the media but how the media affects the public's agenda of issues. Issues need information and facts to back them up to be considered important, but they also need another very important quality. They need people to care about them. Think of it this way. If a politician, who has the very best intentions and the best political plans, has no support from the public, they have no change of ever winning an election and implementing their fabulous policies. If an issue doesn't have people who care about it, then nothing will ever be done about the issue. Therefore the main focus for those who want to put an issue on the agenda is to get attention from the people. What is the best way to get attention from the people. Putting the issue all over the media. That is the simple answer to the question. Mass media is the starting point of an issue and helps the issue to gain support and make it a point on the public agenda.