1.  Education vs Propaganda -- the blurry line (AP 31)

• is it a difference in values

• or hidden/deceptive motive (hiding your persuasive purpose)

• or unethical practice ??

2.  What is News?  (AP 32)   [Note the Nazi's and 1st Amendment implications ]

• News is selected items

• It is entertainment 1st (action orientation, vivid images dominate)

• “Beats” are regularly covered so story types are routine (e.g. celebrity news)

• A riot is news; a non-riot is not -- U of Texas efforts that prevented a riot (the protest was allowed and police cooperated) was not on national news.

• Visuals matter, thus persuaders use dramatic staged events, sound bites, etc. to get news to persuade (framing)

3.  Subliminal Persuasion (AP 34)

•  There’s some evidence for subliminal perception (as awareness only).

•  There’s no good evidence that it influences behavior, esp. conscious behavior and plenty that it doesn’t work.

•  The fact that people falsely belief in subliminal persuasion may be more interesting than the phenomenon itself.