Methods of Agenda Setting of the News in the Internet Websites from the Perspective of Communication Experts

This research based on two methodologies, survey and content analysis will evaluate the ways of setting agenda for the news in nine Persian language websites using the views of communication experts. According to the results of this research and a comparison between their findings the issues such as Ahmadinejad trip to Lebanon, Supreme leader trip to Qom, the issue of subsidies, and endowment of Azad University were among the most important news highlighted in these websites. In the method of content analysis the size and content of headlines of the websites from 18 Mehr to 30 of Aban 1389 were analyzed which included 2387 titles. The classification of the headlines showed that 25.4 percent of headlines were dedicated to domestic politics, 15.6 percent of them to the foreign policy and international relations and 14 percent of them to the issues related to economy, trade and development. the statistical population were chosen from 1454 students and professors on different branches of Tehran Azad University. According to the findings 74.7 percent of students and professors of communication believe that the websites highlighted the domestic news of which 31.9 percent of them were political news. They stated that the BBC Persian website with 45.1 percent had the highest rate in agenda setting of the news.Keywords: