Intermedia Influence and the Drug Issue: Converging on Cocaine

This chapter examines public attitudes in Illinois on drug testing during a period of intense media coverage. It is limited in that media content is not measured as systematically as are public attitudes and media exposure is not directly linked to individual attitudes. However, it can indirectly provide insights into the role of the media in shaping public attitudes and perceptions, increase our understanding of the behavior of policymakers on highly exposed issues, and contribute to the discussion of how to define or prescribe the limits of public opinion on policy.