The arguments for censorship

1. Censorship protects the audience from undesirable influences.

2. Not all adults are mature enough to decide what’s good for them.

3. Censorship is like the law: for the common good.

4. Censorship prevents profits from corrupting minds of others.

5. Absolute freedom equals anarchy.

The counter-arguments

1. Censorship violates the people’s right to know. It’s not consistent with the ideals of democracy.

2. Censorship limits and controls the way people feel and think.

3. Who can act as a censor? What are the qualifications for this super-being?

4. Banning books, etc. has the effect of drawing attention to them and vastly increasing sales.

Writing

Is it harmful and damaging for children to watch too much TV? Below are four different opinions on this controversial issue. Write an essay discussing the statement that appeals to you most.

“TV may be a vital factor in holding a family together where there are, for example, economic problems and husband and wife seem at breaking point. The dangerous influence is surely no more than all of us are exposed to every day… in advertising, in the press.”

“TV passes on to children the corrupting values of a corrupt society. It’s only a matter of time before we can give statistical evidence of how many criminals society has given birth to in front of the TV on Saturday night.”

“You can blame TV for the fact that children take longer to learn to read these days and barely see the point any more of acquiring the skill. In my opinion watching TV should be strictly confined to “treats”.”

“Primary and secondary education have improved out of all recognition since the arrival of TV in the home and this is not only because of programmes designed for schools. Through TV a child can extend his knowledge and it provides vital food for his imagination.”

Unit 4. The World of Advertising Key Vocabulary List

advertisement, ad, commercial, subliminal advertising

a headline, a slogan, a catchphrase, a logo

a hoarding, a billboard, a poster

advertising campaign, advertising agency, advertising industry

marketing, market research, selling, promotion

wholesaler, retailer, consumer

to produce a storyboard

hatch, match and dispatch column

personal or agony column

art-director, copywriter

persuasion, indoctrination, manipulation

a valid form of propaganda

to write a script for an ad

hard sell, soft sell

to discriminate between smth, consumer discrimination

to conjure up certain feelings, associations and attitudes

to encourage people to believe

to plant a name into consumer’s head

reasoned argument

to rely on ads

to make first-hand judgments of quality (products)

to introduce people to new products

to be an insult to the intelligence

to have a corrupting influence

to make false promises

to exploit smth / smb (children, our dreams etc) for smb’s financial gain

to hoodwink smb

to beset the average human being

to cause offence on the grounds of race, religion, sex or disability

to be subject to certain requirements

to stipulate

to safeguard

Text A

The World of TV Commercials

Some people love them – others hate them – but almost everybody watches dozens of TV commercials every day. They are, in fact, a vital part of 1990s media culture. Why? Because they don’t just sell us products – they also reflect our dreams, fears, stereotypes and fantasies. So how do they work? Our journey through the land of “jingles” and “slogans” begins with…

The Rules

Television commercials have to obey different rules in different countries. Even so, a few basic conditions exist almost everywhere. For example, advertisers mustn’t attack someone else’s product or make false promises. What they say must be, in the words of Britain’s advertising rules, “legal, decent, honest and truthful”.

The Account

When a company wants to sell its product on TV it goes to an advertising agency. If it likes the agency’s ideas it pays them to make one or more commercials. This business relationship is called an “account”. These days, many top accounts are worth several million pounds.

The Product

So what kind of products are advertised on TV? Well – almost anything. For example… w banks w cars w chocolate w insurance w toothpaste w computers w toys w coffee w airlines w supermarkets.

The Market Research

OK – so an agency has a new account. What does it do first?

Market research. In other words, it talks to consumers about the product and analyses what they say. To do this, it divides consumers into groups according to their …w age w race w sex w income. Market research shows what people think about the product.

The Concept

Next comes the concept. This is a general idea for the style of the commercial. For example, it may be a cartoon fantasy, a 50s rock and roll party or a romantic beach scene. Some of today’s most popular concepts include… w the mini-soap (a series of commercials which tell a story) w the environment (this shows how healthy and natural a product is) w “the new man” (images of gentle, sensitive men, often shown with babies or young children) w “the female executive” (images of successful women with glamorous, busy lives).

The Storyboard

A team of advertising agency people create each commercial. One member of the team is the art director. Once there’s a concept, he or she produces a storyboard. This is a series of pictures, which shows what the commercial will look like and how it will develop scene by scene.

The Slogan

Another important member of the team is the copywriter. It’s his or her job to write a script for the ad. This usually includes a short, clever, easy-to-remember phrase or “slogan”. Three recent slogans in British commercials were… “Gas – the heat of the moment” (British Gas), “Sony – why compromise?” (Sony), “Everything you want from a store and a little bit more” (Safeway supermarkets).

The Music

Images and words are both vital factors in a TV commercial. Another is the music. Some ads have their own short song or “jingle” (which usually includes the slogan). Others use pop, jazz or classical tunes to create a mood, which fits the product.

The Shoot

Commercials are one-minute-movies. They cost a lot of money and some take weeks to film. Others, of course, only take two or three days. It all depends on the product, the concept and the budget.

The Slot

“Slots” are the short breaks during and between programmes. TV companies sell them to advertisers, but not all for the same price. A slot at 4.30 p.m., for example, is much cheaper than one at 8 p.m. That’s because more people watch TV in the evening or peak viewing hours.

Answer the following questions about the text.

1. What rules do advertisers have to take into account when making advertisements?

2. What is an account?

3. What is the aim of market research?

4. What are the possible styles of a commercial?

5. What is a storyboard?

6. What factors are vitally important for making a good eye-catching advertisement and why? Ground your choice.

7. Why do some people like advertisements while others hate them?

8. Why are commercials considered to be a vital part of media culture?

Using a dictionary, discuss the following questions in small groups.

1. What is the difference between persuasion, indoctrination and manipulation?

2. How does subliminal advertising work?

3. Where would you see a hoarding or a billboard?

4. What is a copywriter?

5. Is there a difference between marketing and selling?

6. What exactly is an advertising campaign?

7. What are wholesalers, retailers and consumers?

8. What is the difference between a headline, a slogan and a catchphrase?

9. What is the difference between hard sell and soft sell?

Text B

ASA

The Advertising Standards Authority was set up in 1962 and acts independently of both the advertising business and the government to make sure that the millions of advertisements that appear in the UK each year are:

w legal w decent w honest and truthful

The authority safeguards the public by applying the rules contained in the British Codes of Advertising and Sales Promotion to all advertisers. The Codes stipulate what is and is not acceptable in newspapers, magazines, poster and direct marketing sales promotion, cinema, video and electronic media. Advertisers who break the Codes’ rules risk receiving damaging adverse publicity and they will be refused space to advertise.

In addition to the Codes’ general rules, advertisements are subject to the following requirements:

• They should contain nothing that is likely to cause offence on the grounds of race, religion, sex or disability.

• They should contain nothing that condones or is likely to provoke violence or anti-social behaviour.

The ASA handles around 10,000 complaints each year.

Answer the following questions about the text.

1. What is the function of this organisation?

2. Is there a similar organisation in our country?

Text C