議題風向球操作機制

Abstract

本研究試圖瞭解當施政方向擬定後，政治人物及政府官員如何透過各種關係的建立、情境的製造，將相關訊息提供給媒體報導？如何蒐集相關的民意反應？當民意對該議題做出反應後，政治人物及政府官員透過何種機制來分析並採取後續行動？這是一個完整的議題風向球操作過程，這中間有何影響機制？礙於政治運作過程對非圈內人來說是「隱晦不明」的，難以透過外在資訊的蒐集來掌握其輪廓，本研究訪談政治相關工作人員，包括政府官員、政治幕僚、記者，透過訪談資料的分析，來勾勒出議題風向球的操作機制。\n\n研究結果發現，議題風向球能否釋放的關鍵在於消息來源與記者間「關係」的經營，平日保持良好或頻繁的互動關係，有助於消息來源釋放風向球給媒體記者，並能掌握風向球被媒體報導的角度，而媒體記者因新聞稿量的需求而對消息來源產生依附，也讓議題風向球更容易被釋放。本研究並發現，不同的時間安排會影響風向球的效果，風向球在媒體議題的延續與走向，則受到消息來源、媒體議題框架及閱聽人態度三方交互影響

This study focuses on how the politicians or government officials detect public opinion by provide policy-related information to media. This process for agenda setting has been defined as Weather Vane in Taiwan local wording. Due to the political perspective of the policy making making process is rather obscure for outsiders, the author adoped in-depth interviews of the insiders, including government officials, politicians’ staffs, and journalists. Through the analysis of those interviews, the author then was able to illustrate the mechanism of agenda setting (aka Weather Vane).\n\nThe study showed that whether to release the “Weather Vane” or not was depending on the relationships between journalists and the media-relation officers. A well-managed relationship and frequent interaction with the press are helpful when releasing the information to the journalists; And furthermore, the information can be reported in a rather favorable way. In the mean time, journalists, by nature, have high demand for news stories; therefore will have strong attachment with their sources which in a way make release the “Weather Vance” relatively easy. This study also found that the timing to release “Weather Vane” for better effects may be tricky. The consistency and tendency of Weather Vane is affected by three different variables: sources, news framing ,and the attitude of the audiences.