This chapter argues that power in policymaking revolves in part around the ability to control media attention to an issue while simultaneously framing an issue in favourable terms. These two characteristics of media coverage both reflect and shape where an issue is decided, by whom and with what outcomes. In understanding this process, a number of studies have observed cyclical waves in media attention and historical shifts in how an issue is framed, linking these features to policy decisions. Yet, there has been little theoretical specification and testing of the social mechanisms that drive these cycles. With this in mind, this chapter outlines a model for understanding 'mediated issue development'. Using data from a content analysis of 25 years of coverage at The New York Times and Washington Post, the model is applied and tested against the issue of plant biotechnology. The study posits several explanations on why plant biotechnology remains at low levels of controversy in the USA compared to the rest of the world.
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