The article by Maxwell E. Combs and Donald L. Shaw explores the agenda-setting function of mass media in shaping political reality and influencing voter perceptions during the 1968 presidential campaign. The authors argue that editors, newsroom staff, and broadcasters play a crucial role in selecting and presenting news, which can determine the importance and salience of issues. They conducted a study in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, to match voters' perceptions of key issues with the actual content of the media they consumed. The findings suggest that the media significantly influence voters' judgments of important issues, with a strong correlation between the media's emphasis on issues and voters' perceptions. The study also examines the impact of cognitive styles, such as the salience of affect, on media use and information-seeking behavior. Overall, the research supports the hypothesis that the mass media have an agenda-setting function, influencing how voters perceive and prioritize political issues.The article by Maxwell E. Combs and Donald L. Shaw explores the agenda-setting function of mass media in shaping political reality and influencing voter perceptions during the 1968 presidential campaign. The authors argue that editors, newsroom staff, and broadcasters play a crucial role in selecting and presenting news, which can determine the importance and salience of issues. They conducted a study in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, to match voters' perceptions of key issues with the actual content of the media they consumed. The findings suggest that the media significantly influence voters' judgments of important issues, with a strong correlation between the media's emphasis on issues and voters' perceptions. The study also examines the impact of cognitive styles, such as the salience of affect, on media use and information-seeking behavior. Overall, the research supports the hypothesis that the mass media have an agenda-setting function, influencing how voters perceive and prioritize political issues.