Analysis of the Media Agenda in El Comercio, El Universo, and El Telégrafo in Ecuador

Abstract

A world submerged in avalanches of information—driven by the combined power of technology and the global network—does not necessarily mean its members are well-informed, let alone fully knowledgeable. In light of this context, it is both curious and necessary to revisit a traditional practice from the media sphere that stands as a double-edged alternative to the overabundance and disorder of data surrounding people's lives: agenda-setting.

This study presents a qualitative and quantitative analysis of content published by the Ecuadorian newspapers El Comercio, El Universo, and El Telégrafo during the second half of 2017. The findings reveal how the mechanisms of the classic theory proposed by McCombs and Shaw contribute to constructing a fragmented, hierarchical, and categorised view of national—and to a lesser extent, international—reality, which is nonetheless socially assimilated and legitimised by the public.

Moreover, the research shows that media no longer operate with a strictly unidirectional or imposing spirit when it comes to setting the agenda. Instead, this function has evolved into a more collaborative space, open to influence from all actors involved in the process of journalistic communication.