Final answer:
The media engages in agenda setting by deciding which issues deserve public attention, thereby influencing the public discourse and prioritizing certain topics for a national debate.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Agenda Setting by the Media
When engaging in agenda setting, the media decides which issues deserve public attention. This process is critical because it shapes the discussions that occur within society and highlights specific topics as being of considerable importance. Examples of agenda setting include the delayed recognition of the Ethiopia famine in the 1980s and the initial lack of coverage of the plans to expel Haitians from the Dominican Republic in 2015, which only gained traction after Al Jazeera's reporting. More generally, agenda setting entails the media acting as gatekeepers, directing public focus to certain debates, and thus reflects the media's influence on public discourse and political priorities. Media organizations often select issues that they perceive as significant or compelling, thereby elevating them in the public and political spheres.
Media's role in setting the public agenda demonstrates its power to not only report but also to actively influence what citizens and policymakers consider to be salient issues. This influence extends beyond simple reporting of events and includes determining the priority and significance of issues on the national agenda. Therefore, the correct answer is that the media decides which issues deserve public attention.