Comm Chapters 11, 12, 13, 15

What is advertising?

A form of communication to inform or persuade the public about a product, service, idea, or candidate.

How is most media content funded?

Through advertising revenue.

What was the earliest form of advertising?

Face-to-face, word-of-mouth communication.

When did advertising become central to marketing?

Mid-1800s.

Why did the early 20th century see growth in advertising?

Rise in mass-produced goods required differentiation.

What did early advertisers use to target local audiences?

Newspaper space.

What medium surpassed print for reaching national markets?

Television.

When did commercials become common on TV?

1950s.

What was the average number of weekly commercials by 1957?

420 commercials, totaling 5 hours and 8 minutes.

What is the “Daisy Spot”?

A 1964 political ad that marked a shift in TV political advertising.

What are infomercials?

Paid programming in 30- or 60-minute formats, often with testimonials

What did the 1969 Supreme Court ruling on cigarette ads do?

Applied Fairness Doctrine to allow antismoking replies.

What was the first form of web advertising?

Banner ads (Hotwired, 1994).

What is rating in advertising?

Measures number of households watching a broadcast.

What is CPM?

Cost per thousand impressions.

What is performance-based advertising?

Advertiser pays for outcomes, not audience size.

What is search engine marketing?

Paying for keywords to appear in search results.

What is branding?

Creating a distinct identity in the consumer’s mind.

What is a generonym?

A brand that becomes a generic term (e.g., Kleenex).

What protects a brand’s identity?

Trademark law.

What is social marketing?

Persuading people to adopt good or abandon bad behaviors.

What is a public information campaign?

Government-funded campaign to promote a social goal.

What is a fear appeal?

Persuasion by invoking fear, e.g., anti-smoking ads.

What is a PSA?

A public service announcement that benefits the public.

What are key advertising channels?

Print, electronic, outdoor, direct mail, telemarketing.

What is product placement?

Embedding brand-name products in media content.

What are cookies in digital advertising?

Files that track user behavior online.

What is SEO?

Search Engine Optimization—organic visibility in searches.

What is SEM?

Search Engine Marketing—paid visibility in searches.

What is native advertising?

Ads disguised as editorial or organic content.

What is behavioral advertising?

Targeting based on user behavior and tracking.

What is viral marketing?

Encouraging users to share ad content widely.

How many advertising agencies are there in the U.S.?

Over 500, employing 70,000+ people.

What are the 4 main areas of ad agency operation?

Creative, client management, media buying, research.

What is puffery in advertising?

Exaggerated claims that are subjective, not factual.

What is deceptive advertising?

Misleading consumers with false or incomplete information.

What is astroturfing?

A fake grassroots campaign organized by a vested interest.

Why is click-through rate used?

As a clearer metric for digital ad performance.

What are ethical issues in advertising today?

Privacy, misrepresentation, hidden sponsorships.

What do advertising codes of ethics do?

Provide professional guidelines for ethical advertising.

What are the four major systems of ethical reasoning?

Character, duties, consequences, relationships.

What is virtue ethics?

Focuses on moral character and "the golden mean."

What is the categorical imperative (Kant)?

A duty-based ethics system with universal moral rules.

What is discourse ethics (Habermas)?

Ethics based on justice, equality, and rational dialogue.

What is utilitarianism?

The greatest good for the greatest number.

What is the ethics of care?

Focus on relationships and care, not abstract justice.

What is moral relativism?

Belief that no ethical system is superior to another.

What is the “Potter Box”?

Method for ethical decisions: definition, values, principles, loyalties.

What are Howard and Korver’s ethical tests?

“Other Shoe,” “Front Page,” “Loved One,” “Role Model,” “Mother’s.”

What is the culture industry?

Media's role in mass-producing cultural content (Frankfurt School).

What is the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics?

A framework for ethical journalism.

What is plagiarism in journalism?

Using someone else's work without credit.

What are ethical issues in PR?

Astroturfing, conflicts of interest, hidden sponsors.

What is a conflict of interest in media?

A situation that may bias reporting or messaging.

What is undercover journalism?

Misrepresenting oneself to gather information.

What is “victimizing the victims”?

Harmful reporting that exploits vulnerable people

What is media hegemony?

Dominant cultural values embedded in media content.

Why is parody allowed under fair use?

It offers commentary and transformation of the original.

What are shield laws?

Laws protecting journalists from revealing sources.

What is prior restraint?

Government preventing publication—rarely allowed.

What is intellectual property (IP)?

Creations of the mind with commercial value.

What does copyright protect?

The expression of ideas in fixed, tangible form.

What can be copyrighted?

Books, music, art, video, choreography, etc.

What cannot be copyrighted?

Ideas, facts, processes, and common knowledge

What is the Digital Millennium Copyright Act?

Law extending copyright to digital media.

What is a patent?

Protects inventions and industrial processes.

What is a trademark?

Protects logos, names, and branding identifiers.

What is “public domain”?

Creative works not protected by copyright.

What is fair use?

Legal use of copyrighted material without permission under specific conditions.

What are four factors of fair use?

Purpose, nature, amount, and market effect.

What is the “Monkey Selfie” dispute?

Non-human creator can’t hold copyright.

Are AI-generated artworks protected by copyright?

Currently contested—laws evolving.

What is time shifting?

Recording content to watch later.

What is space shifting?

Moving content between devices.

What is the first-sale doctrine?

Allows resale of copyrighted items.

What is the First Amendment?

Guarantees freedom of speech and press.

What is the “Fourth Estate”?

Media’s watchdog role over government and society.

What does the FCC do?

Regulates U.S. broadcast and communication industries.

What was the 1996 Telecommunications Act?

Modernized regulations and changed ownership rules.

What is net neutrality?

The principle that all internet traffic is treated equally.

Who supports net neutrality?

Google, Amazon, Netflix, Microsoft, Facebook.

Who opposes net neutrality?

AT&T, Comcast, Verizon, Spectrum.

What did the FCC do in 2015?

Classified the internet as a common carrier.

What did the FCC do in 2017?

Repealed net neutrality rules.

What did the FCC do in April 2024?

Restored net neutrality under Biden administration.

What is cultural imperialism?

Dominance of one culture’s media over another.

What is media globalization?

Increasing international media production and influence.

What is Al Jazeera known for?

Independent journalism in the Arab world.

What are counterpublics?

Alternative public spheres created by marginalized groups.

What is media convergence?

Integration of media platforms and global interconnection.