Agenda-setting

Agenda-setting is the process by which some public problems gain government attention while others do not. It shapes which issues policymakers consider, not necessarily what decisions they make.

Policy window: A temporary opening in which a problem, a proposed solution, and political conditions align for policy change. A policy window can turn an overlooked problem into an issue government is ready to address.
Public policy: A course of action or inaction adopted by government in response to public concerns. Agenda-setting concerns which concerns enter the process that may produce public policy.
Media agenda-setting: The influence of news coverage on which issues the public regards as important. It concerns public perceptions of issue importance, rather than government attention itself.
Policy adoption: The formal approval of a policy by an authorized government body. An issue can gain agenda status without policymakers adopting a response.
Multiple Streams Framework: John Kingdon’s model explains policy change through the coupling of problem, policy, and politics streams. It describes how separate developments converge to place an issue on the governmental agenda.
Public agenda: The set of issues that receive substantial attention from the public at a given time. Public attention can pressure officials, though public and governmental priorities do not always match.
Lobbying: Efforts by individuals or organizations to influence government decisions and public policy. Lobbyists seek to place client concerns before officials and keep them on the agenda.
Policy implementation: The execution of an adopted policy through government agencies and other responsible actors. Implementation follows policy decisions; agenda-setting concerns what receives attention before them.
Problem definition: The process of interpreting a condition as a public problem and specifying its causes and possible remedies. How an issue is defined affects whether officials recognize it as requiring government attention.
Institutional agenda: The set of issues actively considered by a governmental institution, such as a legislature or agency. This is the government-facing agenda that agenda-setting processes help shape.

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