This hypothesis was introduced by Paul Lazarsfeld, Bernard Berelson and Hazel Gaudet. It consists of two steps:
1- Opinion leaders get information from a media source.
2- The opinion leaders pass on this information, along with their interpretations of the information, to others.
The opinion leaders play close attention to the mass media and its different messages. They are seen as influential, and have similarities with those that theu influence.
The 'influenced' are not informed by the media directly. They often hear an interpreted view of a message and will look up to the opinion leaders.
A popular example of this is an election campaign- the candidate is the opinion leader with the public being the "influenced.'
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