Discussion Questions from Reading Assignments 2/16/2000
 

Stauber, 3, Smoker's Hacks
1/ Stauber and Rampton say that third party advocacy, subliminal message reinforcement, junk science, phony front groups, advocacy advertising and buying favorable news reporting with advertising dollars are all stock and trade techniques in the PR  industry.  How would you interpret the PRSA Code of Professional Standards on these practices?  Do these practices impede the democratic process?

2/ What do you think about the National Smokers Alliance.  Is it a front group or something else?  Does it present an ethical problem?

3/ Should political groups who are mounting PR campaigns in an effort to to change laws be required to identify their funding sources to the public?

4/ How do tobacco industry PR practices square with the PRSA Code of Professional Standards which states that a PRSA member shall conduct his or her professional life in accord with the public interest?

5/ Is Bernays' critique of the state of ethics in the PR profession accurate today?  What are the consequences for practicing PRSA members who violate the Code of Professional Standards?
 

Day, 8 Economic Pressures and Social Responsibility

1/ Does concentration of media ownership result in monopoly of information?

2/ How does the alliance of mass media and marketing affect information the public gets?

3/ What are potential conflicts between advertising and the quality of information the public gets?

4/ Where does PR fit in all of these trends?

Read cases 8-4 and 8-7 for discussion in class.

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