Discussion Questions from Reading Assignments 3/1/2000
 

Day, 12 Media Practitioners and Social Justice

1/ Explain the Libertarian Concept of Social Justice

2/ Explain the Egalitarian Concept of Social Justice

3/ Which concept of social justice, libertarian or egalitarian, best explains the current state of the U.S. news media?

4/ Which concept of social justice, libertarian or egalitarian, best explains the current state of the U.S. PR industry?

5/ Is information a fundamental need for all members of society or an economic commodity to be merchandised?

6/ When journalists make concerted efforts to include minorities as sources in their stories, in which concept of social justice are they engaging?

7/ How would deontologists and teleologists view the concept of social justice?

Read case 12-6 for class discussion.
 

Day, 13 Stereotypes in Media Communications

1/ What is a stereotype?

2/ Discuss media stereotypes based on race, gender, age, ethnicity, economic status, body size and weight, physical abilities, hair color, nationality, generation, geographic location, occupation, religion, sexual orientation, social status and mental capacity?  Any others?

3/ Are stereotypes a problem in PR?

4/ What is the cause of these stereotypes?  How can they be reduced or eliminated?

Read case 13-4, The American Indians Battle with the Major Leagues, for class discussion.
 

Stauber 6, Divide and Conquer

1/ Activists are defined as radicals, opportunists, idealists and realists.  Explain the differences in a nutshell.

2/ How is it that many environmentalists are entering into partnerships with major polluters?

3/ Stauber and Rampton state that major industries are "buying" the cooperation of activists.  Does this represent a conflict of interest?

4/ Discuss "cross-pollination" strategies.  Are these strategies ethical?

5/ What is greenwashing?  Does this practice deceive the public?

6/ Discuss the social responsibility practices of the Body Shop..
 

Stauber 7, Poisoning the Grassroots

1/ Compare true grassroots movements to astroturf.

2/ Should astroturf movements be viewed as unethical PR or as highly effective PR?

3/ Does astroturf undermine the democratic process?

4/ Does astroturf represent true opinions of the public or the appearance of public support and public advocacy?

5/ Discuss some of the astroturf tactics such as direct marketing, databases, phone banks, patch through phone systems,
voter ID files, assisting people with letter writing, kitty cat stationery, letters that appear personalized, hiring local ambassadors, wearing baseball caps to fit in, inventing citizens groups with nice-sounding names, using opinion polls to identify vulnerable points, etc.?  Are they ethical?

6/ Discuss the successful effort to kill the Clinton administration's health care reform plan.  How would libertarians and egalitarians view these efforts from an ethical perspective?

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