Objectives and Assignments for Part 6


Objectives for Part 6


In this module, we think critically about media.

When you finish this module, you should be able to do all the following:

  • Describe and explain the pressures on commercial media to entertain

  • Describe and explain the pressures on commercial news media to oversimplify issues and reassure viewers

  • Explain why political reporting on commercial television tends to underreport domestic labor news

  • Explain why political reporting on commercial television tends to underreport all foreign news

  • Give examples of ways in which commercial television tends to reinforce and justify the aims of global capitalism

  • Give examples of ways in which commercial television tends to marginalize opposition to the aims of corporate sponsors

  • Give examples of the use of fallacies in advertising

  • Describe the symptoms of "affluenza"; and explain why affluenza alarms Marxists, Christians, mental-health workers, environmentalists, and moral philosophers.

  • Critically analyze arguments for and against "consumer culture."

 

 

Assignments for Part 6



REQUIRED VIDEO

  • Part 6 requires that you view at least one video. Please view one or more of the following:

    1. Affluenza
      You can come to campus to see the video when I show it to my on-campus classes (ask me for details); or you can view it in the WVC Library AV room. There are individual viewing stations there.

      OR

    2. Episode of Frontline (view online): The Persuaders

 

REQUIRED READINGS

 

OPTIONAL READINGS/VIDEOS

For further reading: resources on advertising, media manipulation of news, global capitalism, affluenza

 

 

 


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