Agenda-Tapping: Conceptualizing the Relationship Between News Coverage, Fundraising, and the First Amendment

Abstract

Agenda setting represents a promising framework for understanding charitable donation and special interest political contribution behavior. This article reports the results of a study investigating the link between the agenda-setting function of the press, nonprofit donations, and special interest political contributions. Using financial information from two nonprofit organizations associated with the issue of gun control/gun rights, this study found media mentions of gun control to be strong and significant predictors of donations to a gun control-oriented nonprofit and nonprofit contributions to political campaigns.