The Agenda-Setting Impact of Egyptian Nightly Television Talk Shows

The awareness function of the mass media is at the heart of civic engagement, which is fundamental for a country in transition to democracy such as Egypt. This research study linked agenda-setting theory to civic engagement examining the agenda-setting impact of Egyptian nightly television talk shows on attitudes towards civic engagement among the Egyptian elite. A primary content analysis of the three most popular Egyptian nightly television talk shows before the Jan.25th revolution: Masr Ennharda (Egypt Today), Al Ashera Masa'an (10 PM), and 90 Deqeeqa (90 Minutes), was conducted to measure the media agenda. A primary survey was also administered to examine the public agenda and the relationships between exposure to talk shows, agenda-setting, and civic engagement. This study proceeded with conducting qualitative interviews with experts, producing recommendations for talk shows in order to play a more active role in fostering civic engagement in Egypt.