Pulling the Plug on Grandma: Obama’s Health Care Pitch, Media Coverage & Public Opinion

Shahira Fahmy, Christopher J. McKinley, Christine R. Filer, Paul J. Wright

Department of Communication Studies, Montclair State University, Montclair, USA.
Department of Communication, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA.
Department of Telecommunications, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA.
School of Journalism, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA.

DOI: 10.4236/ajc.2013.13003                

Abstract

This study examined the agenda-building process, in which interpretive frames activated and spread from the top level through the news media to the public, in the context of Obama’s controversial health care reform. The authors examined the relationship among media coverage, presidential rhetoric and public opinion from President Obama’s inauguration in January 2009 to the date the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” was signed into law in 2010. Results indicate the media were modestly successful at building the media agenda. However, results also showed that presidential rhetoric might have influenced public opinion. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Keywords

Agenda-Building; Health Care Reform; News Media; Public Opinion; Obamacare; The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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