Setting the Agenda: A Simulation of Deciding Tomorrow’s Front-Page

Abstract

While the number of newspapers and the circulation of those remaining is decreasing, they are still the greatest contributor of new information into media ecosystems. Newspapers continue to pay an important role in setting the agenda, as other sources recycle and repackage their content. To assist students in learning concepts of newspapers, gatekeepers, agenda-setting, and media ecosystems, this article explains how to run the simulation “Setting the Agenda.” By utilizing both scholarly literature and my own experiences as a journalist, the simulation recreates budget meetings across multiple newspapers. This creates a simulation that approximates a complex media ecosystem with stories that are important to different audiences. Within their newspaper staffs, students must balance different goals. Section editors are primarily interested in receiving the front-page for themselves, as this is a prestigious achievement. Executive editors, however, are motivated to pick a story that matches their audience, as this will provide the greatest benefit to the newspaper as a whole. Through the activity, students are able to increase their media literacy. This is a beneficial skill for all students, as almost all will consume mass media after the course.