In simple terms, this means that the media sets the agenda, explaining why most people prioritize the same issues as important at the same time.
According to Shaw (1979), the agenda-setting theory says that because of newspapers, television, and other news media, people are aware or not aware, pay attention to or neglect, play up or downgrade specific features of the public scene. This means that people tend to give importance to what the media show or do not show from their content.
Agenda setting used in Brazilian soap operas: “Telenovelas”
According to McCombs & Shaw (1972), certain issues must be thought and discussed by people in everyday life. Taking an example of Brazil as a developing country will help to explain how Media can make a difference in people’s lives. Television programming is often a topic of conversation at school, workplace, at home and among friends – Brazilians are always talking about TV programs, opera soaps and reality shows such as Big Brother Brazil – that reach a mass audience in the country (Antunes, 2012).
For instance, a recent telenovela ‘Avenida Brasil’ brought up the Mensalão; a case of corruption and vote-buying that threatened the government of the President Lula - mensalão is a new-word "big monthly payment". ‘Avenida Brasil’ had an average audience of about 46 million viewers every night and 65% market share and even threatened a 5% of demand in energy services while which troubled energy scene (Antunes, 2012).
The current Brazilian telenovela “Amor a vida” is showed after the national news at 21h by Globo Network. It has a homosexual lawyer who has a same-sex partner – even though same-sex marriage is not legal in Brazil. This character lives a dilemma as he is attracted by a woman. The main setting of the novel, a hospital, has two very religious receptionists who discussed with
him the possibility of their pastor “heal” him from homosexuality.