International Encyclopedia of Communication Online

Extract

Issue management in politics refers to the process by which politicians, campaigns, parties, and other political groups identify, prioritize, develop, and convey positions on key issues. A fundamental early step in effective political issue management involves formative research where groups investigate the perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors of target audiences concerning policy preferences and problems. Some of the major research techniques used to gather such information include → surveys , focus groups, content analysis, and in-depth → interviews (→ Content Analysis, Qualitative ; Content Analysis, Quantitative ; Interview, Standardized ; Interview, Qualitative ; Research Methods ). These same approaches are also used to evaluate the success of communication efforts for issue management purposes. From a theoretical standpoint, the concepts of agenda building and agenda setting are germane for understanding the process of political issue management. The core proposition of agenda-setting theory is that the issues made salient (or prominent) in news media often become the issues that are considered important in public opinion, though the effect is not universal ( McCombs & Shaw 1972 ). For over three decades, extensive empirical support for agenda-setting influence has been collected in local, state, regional, national, and international settings (→ Agenda-Setting ... log in or subscribe to read full text