We exist in a world today where we are constantly surrounded by information. We get news from the news, read social media, and view content from other sources of media, but how do we know what is true and false? This is where gatekeeping comes in. Gatekeeping is the process by which information is controlled and filtered before it gets to the public.
Social psychologist Kurt Lewin coined the term "gatekeeping" in 1943 when he studied social change. Lewin proposed that information travels through some "gates" when it is transferred from one individual or group to another, and those who operate the gates determine which information to let in and which information to exclude. The process assists in shaping what information is presented to the public. In effect, the media acts as the gatekeeper of information, deciding what stories are worthy and what stories are not noticed. These stories that come through the gate end up becoming what ultimately influences public awareness and drives social debate.
Gatekeeping also is similar Agenda-Setting, which Maxwell McCombs and Donald L. Shaw formulated back in 1968. On this basis, the media do not just tell people what to think but more so influence what people think about. Media institutions lead the agenda by identifying what issues and problems are raised and the manner in which they appear. Through the emphasis on certain issues, media institutions bring attention to them in public debate, thus making them appear more important. This action identifies what is important or pressing to the general public. For example, if the media is greatly covering climate change, it informs the public that this is a serious matter. On the other hand, if the media cover up or downplay topics like income inequality or social justice, the public may not even realize them as priorities.
Gatekeeping and agenda-setting both have powerful effects on politics and public opinions. With their choices regarding reporting or not reporting certain events or topics, the media can shape people's thoughts about politics, society, and the world at large. For example, during election times, news media focus on some politicians, policies, or scandals and set the agenda, framing people's attitudes toward those politicians. Media, therefore, not only report the news—media set political agendas and determine public opinion.
One of the most striking aspects of gatekeeping is that the public cannot even notice when it happens. Few people know that the news stories they read are not randomly selected but they it is a process of selection and exclusion. This process is affected by a number of factors. Media sources have agendas and priorities that can shape the information they provide.
The impacts of gatekeeping are tremendous. When media sources choose to emphasize some issues, they give greater significance to those issues in the public. For instance, if a news channel consistently reports on economic issues and never covers social justice movements, it can lead the public to believe that the economy is the most important issue.
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