The Roles of the Media and Mediated Opinion Leadership in the Public Opinion Process

Abstract

This study analyzed the content of newspapers regarding a political incident in Korea in which the government, yielding to public demand, reversed its initial policy position. Proposing the significance of alternative media and societal opinion leaders in helping public opinion effect this policy reversal, this study compared the coverage of mainstream and alternative newspapers and assessed the potential influence of the societal opinion leaders, as demonstrated in newspaper content. The findings indicated that the alternative newspaper was a better source for delivering various types of information and for presenting the climate of opinion that supported public opinion; the possible influence of societal opinion leaders on the activities of dissident groups and opposition parties emerged. The findings are discussed in the light of the spiral of silence theory and the shared responsibility thesis among the media and other actors in political controversies.