American media messages and public opinion on the Palestinian uprising

The Palestinian uprising has precipitated widespread debate about American media representation and influence of public opinion. This study was undertaken to determine whether American media coverage of the violence corresponded with American public attitudes. American media messages and public opinion were compared on four central topics: the significance of the uprising in relation to other international issues, judgment of the parties’ handling of the confrontation, blame for the violence, and attitudes toward Israel’s use of force. This study finds a considerable gap between American media messages and public opinion on the uprising and suggests that, consequently, it is questionable whether the American media can be said to influence public opinion on this issue.