The Interplay of Influence

So, another book I had to read for class is called The Interplay of Influence. Unlike the others, this is an actual textbook. So, obviously, it is inherently a little less engaging and interesting. However, the subject isn't geometry or chemistry, so it receives a few bonus points.

Anyway, the three main topics are advertising, news media and politics. Basically, the book talks about how the mass media work and the power it has. It also touches upon the significance of the internet. Nothing really new, but interesting nonetheless.

One particularly interesting claim is that "the primary function of the mass media is to attract and hold large audiences for advertisers." If you think about it, this isn't such an outlandish statement. One 30 second commercial during the Super Bowl is going to cost nearly $4 million for the 2008 spectacle. Do you think it's a coincidence that the Super Bowl is so heavily promoted as a "must see" event? Football in general is a telegenic sport in which commercial breaks fit in well with timeouts and whatnot.

So, here's a classic Super Bowl ad... only aired once in its original format.