本研究以大台北地區民國84-85年以及85-86年愛滋病防治主要宣 導期間，所出現的相關新聞報導爲例，分析媒體所強調議題、引用消 息來源與閱聽人所重視議題與信賴消息來源之間的關聯性，並進一步 檢驗媒體内容與公眾認知間的因果關係。本研究主要採用内容分析與 電話調查訪問兩種方法，前者用來分析報紙如何呈現愛滋病内容，蒐 集的時間範圍各以民國84與85年11月1日起，至次年3月31止；電話調 查訪問則用以探討民眾對愛滋病相關工作重要性與可信賴的消息來源 的情形。本研究於分析第一年期間共調查大台北地區（包括台北市、 台北縣及基隆市）18歲以上的居民1，111名，第二年則訪問了 1，156名 ，包括399名連續追縱的小樣本在内。研究結果顯示：報紙内容（包括與愛滋病有關的議題與引用的消 息來源）與受訪民眾對愛滋病的認知之間，的確有強而正面的相關， 其中又以第一年資料以及兩年大樣本的係數値較高。然而透過交叉時 差效果的計算，卻只有新聞議題（包括大、小樣本）與公眾議題存在 有因果關係。論文最後提出對未來本土相關研究的啓示以爲結語。

ＣThe present study aims to explore the news coverage of AIDS-related issues in Taiwan, and to examine the impact of media agenda and source- setting on the public. Specifically, the study focuses on the topics addressed in the news as well as sources used in the messages. Content analyses of news coverage during the major AIDS campaign periods in 1995-1996 and 1996-1997, respectively, were performed. Telephone surveys conducted immediately after each campaign period were used to assess the public perceptions of the importance of AIDS-related work and the reliable sources they believed most for AIDS information. Spearman rank correlations between news agendas and public agendas were computed. For those positive and significant Spearman rank correlations, the study further calculated cross-lagged correlations to determine the causal relationships. The study also used a panel (N = 399) to examine and compare the aforementioned effects. Overall, the news media were found to have positive and strong correlations with public perceptions of AIDS, particularly for the first-year data as well as for the non-panel ones. Causal relationships were also found between AIDS sub-issues addressed in the news and the important AIDS agendas in the public minds. The study ended with suggestions for future research in this area.