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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>For anyone teaching 1C, check out Frontline’s “Persuaders”
episode, available in full online at <a
href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/persuaders/">http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/persuaders/</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The episode is divided into 4 fifteen minute segments and is
a wonderful expose on the applicability of semiotics in the marketplace and
politics. Here is a brief description from the website:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>In
"The Persuaders," FRONTLINE explores how the cultures of marketing
and advertising have come to influence not only what Americans buy, but also
how they view themselves and the world around them. The 90-minute documentary
draws on a range of <a
href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/persuaders/interviews/">experts
and observers</a> of the advertising/marketing world, to examine how, in the
words of one on-camera commentator, "the principal of democracy yields to
the practice of demography," as highly customized messages are delivered
to a smaller segment of the market.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Take the
2004 presidential sweepstakes for example. Both the Republicans and the
Democrats were prepared to go to extraordinary lengths to custom craft their
messages. "What politicians do is tailor their message to each demographic
group," <a
href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/persuaders/interviews/swire.html">says
Peter Swire,</a> professor of law at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Ohio</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">State</st1:PlaceType> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>
and an expert on Internet policy. "That means…Americans will live in
different virtual universes. What's wrong with living in different universes?
You never confront the other side. You don't have to deal with the
uncomfortable facts that go against your worldview….It hardens the
partisanship that's been such a feature of recent American politics."<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>You can
buy the DVD, but why when access is free?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Joshua
Fenton<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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