Agenda management in political communication: The impact of news content on voter opinions

Today, voter opinions are undoubtedly influenced by many perceptual factors. On the other hand, the ability of the media to crystallize opinions by reporting on events plays a more prominent role compared to other factors. Therefore, there are numerous academic studies discussing and examining the impact of media on politics and voter perceptions. In this context, this research focuses on the impact of political news on voter opinions and preferences. The aim is to reveal how media reports on a political actor or event affect voter perceptions. A focus group method was used, in which two different groups of subjects were shown positive and negative news about an artificially created political actor. The evaluation conducted within the framework of the cultivation theory determined a strong relationship between media news and voter perception.