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SCOM 110 (B02)
1. Do media set the agenda for you? If not, why not? If they do, can you cite examples from
your own experience of how your opinion might have changed? Furthermore, do you look
to media for factual news, opinion, or both?
The media can shape public discourse and influence people's opinions on specific issues.
This process is often referred to as agenda-setting, which refers to the ability of the media to
influence the importance placed on complicated topics or issues (Stern et al., 2020). The
assumption that people rely on the news media to stay informed about significant events and
issues underlies the media's ability to establish agendas.
There are several ways in which the media can set the agenda for users. Frequently, the
media sets the agenda for me by selective reporting. Social media platforms choose which stories
to cover and which ones to ignore. By highlighting specific stories, these platforms can shape
public opinion and influence what people think is essential.
Facebook has filtered news posts in favor of particular ideologies. For instance, Facebook
uploaded political content, which I believe was more significant than other posts because this
topic was highlighted. I typically look to the media for factual news as well as opinions. I enjoy
reading other people's opinions on the news. Overall, media agenda-setting causes people to
retreat into biased political bubbles where the agenda in their newsfeeds differs entirely from
those of differing political views.
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2. Find examples of advertising that use ideas from symbolic interaction or social
construction of reality to sell their products? How do they do so?
Symbolic interactionism is a sociological theory emphasizing the importance of symbols
and their use in human interaction. Many companies use ideas from symbolic interaction for
their advertisements. According to Baran (2022), "Symbolic interaction theory is frequently used
in the study of the influence of advertising because marketers often succeed by encouraging the
audience to perceive their products as symbols that have meaning beyond the products' actual
function" (p. 334).
For example, Coca-Cola's "Share a Coke" campaign used the symbolic interactionist idea
of personalization to create a more engaging and interactive consumer experience. The campaign
encouraged consumers to share a coke with someone whose name was on the bottle, creating a
sense of personal connection and meaning. Additionally, Nike's "Just Do It" campaign used the
idea of self-identity to create a sense of consumer empowerment and motivation. Overall, these
campaigns demonstrate how symbolic interactionist ideas can be used in advertising to create
more meaningful and engaging consumer experiences.
The social construction of reality refers to the idea that our cultural and social
experiences shape how we understand the world around us. Advertising often plays on these
cultural and social constructions to sell products by creating an image or story that resonates with
the audience. Beauty products often use social constructions of beauty to sell their products. For
example, they might feature models with a particular body type or hairstyle that is considered
desirable.
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3. In general, and from your own interaction with the mass media, how ethical do you
believe media professionals to be—specifically news reporters, but others may come to
mind like advertising sales representatives, film writers, direct marketers, or public
relations professionals. Explain your answers. Define the terms “morality” and “ethics”
and discuss the differences between them in relation to your answers.
Individuals in the media industry hold a wide range of ethical practices and views, most
of which are ethical. Certain principles and codes of conduct are commonly accepted within the
industry. For news reporters, a generally accepted set of ethical guidelines includes principles
such as accuracy, fairness, impartiality, and avoiding conflicts of interest. Advertising sales
representatives also have a responsibility to act ethically. They are expected to be truthful in their
dealings with clients and to avoid making false or misleading claims about the products.
Even though they have different definitions, morality, and ethics are frequently used
interchangeably. Morality refers to the set of beliefs and values that a person or society holds
about what is right and wrong. It is typically based on religious, cultural, or personal beliefs and
may vary between individuals or societies. It is crucial for media professionals to uphold moral
principles as they have the responsibility to report accurate and fair information. Titus 2:7-8 says,
“Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity,
dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame,
having nothing evil to say about us” (English Standard Version Bible, 2001).
On the other hand, ethics refers to a set of moral principles or norms of conduct that
direct our behavior in a specific profession or circumstance (Baran, 2022). Ethics are more
objective and founded on ideas like justice, fairness, and respect for others. Of course, there will
always be individuals within any profession who do not adhere to ethical principles. However, it
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is essential to recognize that most media professionals take their ethical responsibilities seriously
and work hard to ensure that they are acting in the best interests of their audience or clients.
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References
Baran, S. (2022). Introduction to Mass Communication (12th edition). McGraw Hill.
English Standard Version Bible. (2001). ESV Online. https://esv.literalword.com/
Stern, S., Livan, G., & Smith, R. E. (2020). A network perspective on intermedia agenda-setting.
Applied Network Science, 1. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41109-020-00272-4
