Policy images, agenda setting, and policy disarray : energy images in the network evening news, 1970-1990

America's economy and national security are highly dependent upon fossil fuels, especially foreign oil and its by-products. The inability of this nation to forge a coherent, consistent, and effective national energy policy constitutes a most conspicuous failure of the contemporary American polity. To determine the causes of failure in the energy policy arena, this study focused on the nature and role of the mass media, especially television, because it is recognized as a powerful influence in the public policy process. The thesis of this study is that energy stories broadcast on television news programs during the period 1970 to 1990 produced policy images that significantly contributed to disarray in the policy domain. A systematic content analysis of energy news stories broadcast by the three major networks-ABC, CBS, and NBC, during five sample years (1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, and 1990) was executed. All stories that mentioned oil, coal, natural gas, nuclear energy, alternative energy sources, or a generic energy reference were identified and coded based on information contained in the Television News index and Abstracts Irom Vanderbilt University Television News Archive. The operation of the television news as a major source of policy images was explored. The frequency of coverage, portrayal, and content, especially aspects employed in news stories, each were found to contribute to the process whereby networks mediate policy reality and help set policy agenda.