Final answer:
The correct answer is option (3). Public opinion is the aggregation of individual views on an event, idea, or issue that interests and impacts a community. It is measured through various polling methods and has a significant influence on political decisions and media coverage.
Step-by-step explanation:
When discussing an event, idea, or opinion that is timely, interests, and affects a large number of persons in a community, public opinion is the term that comes into play.
Public opinion is a collection of popular views about various topics ranging from political leaders, social issues, and new ideas. It reflects how a collective group of individuals think or feel at a certain point in time about specific events or subjects.
Public opinion is often gauged through polls and surveys, which can influence decisions made by politicians and are utilized by the media to assess which candidates are leading and describe voter sentiment.
Methods such as polling companies calling citizens at random to ask about their approval of the president's economic policies, or their stance on international interventions, capture individual opinions.
These opinions are combined to form a larger picture of public sentiment. This aggregated opinion then serves as a guide for government officials to understand the will of the people in regard to legislative votes, campaign strategies, and other political decisions.
Moreover, public opinion can shape media coverage and affect the perceived importance of news stories and social problems.