Essay Question: Most scholars believe that the media has a moderating affect on public opinion, but researchers have been unable to form a consensus on the relative significance of these effects.  Some scholars have attributed this anomaly to public opinion instability and the inability of current survey methods to accurately measure these effects.  Others have argued that more rigorous data collection and analysis methodologies are better suited to uncovering these effects.  Discuss the debates surrounding these views, contrasting their merits and addressing the significance for future research on this issue.  Discuss any potential solutions to these difficulties, including how these solutions might be tested and/or implemented?