Challenge of Media’s Influence on Tobacco Usage
1.Introduce the issue(s) you have selected and list primary and secondary stakeholders influencing or influenced by this issue(s).
2.Identify your own stakeholder role(s) in relation to the tobacco industry and cigarette smoking in our society.
3.Imagine yourself as a tobacco industry executive and describe management of the public issue(s) from this perspective.
4.Discuss the role(s) of government in this issue(s) and how it is influencing both the industry and the public.
5.Describe the media’s role in this issue(s) and the perspective it is presenting to the public. Discuss industry-sponsored media communications, as well as government communications and reporting in the popular press. Cite specific examples, using references.
1.One of the major challenge which has been found in the recent 21st century is finding effective skills and strategies in order to control and manage the leading and potential influence of the media to shorten tobacco practices. The main motive behind this is that the media has introduced the tobacco usage by the means of television, newspapers, radio and recently through the use of internet. The role of internet has created an issue and it has made the problem more pathetic as well as challenging. The tobacco industry and its controlling measures are consuming internet in order to inspire and motivate an individual’s attitude and behavior. Today, over 3000 adults are known to the smoking incidence in a particular day (World Health Organization).
The speedy development of the media has created a numerous changes and growth of tobacco industry and its usage. This has consequently influenced and motivated the ensuing advancement of tobacco control contrivances. Every individual can identify the struggles of the control involvements by observing the health organizations which are majorly affected by the use of tobacco. The imaginative investigate outlines have contemporarily progressive the study and knowledge of the use of tobacco combined together with the mass media at several levels such as societal, organizational, international and personal levels (Richardson, Amanda, Ollie, and Donna, 341-347). This has in turn established an appearance of how the tobacco industry advertise and sponsor has swayed others or is itself swayed by the major and minor stakeholders residing in the tobacco industry. The major and minor stakeholders consist of the farmers, the manufacturers, smokers, distributors, the parents, youths and adults, and the government. The capitals which has been used by the tobacco industry in promoting and advertising their respective products are growing on the daily basis. The use of media in order to promote and advertise the products of tobacco is also increasing day by day. On the other hand, the similar channel is also used in order to support the controlling procedures. Consequently, the control intrusions have created anti-tobacco movements which has been sponsored by the local health agencies which aims at helping in developing large number of controlling measures (Sheehan, Kim).
Role of the Media in Advancement of Tobacco Control Measures
2.Even though smoking is avoidable, it is known to be one of the major cause of undesirable premature deaths found across the entire globe majorly in such countries where the usage of tobacco is unregulated. The consumption of alcohol monitors up the tobacco smoking which is also evaluated as the connective agent of the avoidable mortalities. As a result, drinking and smoking are the factors which are highly related to smoking behaviors. There are huge number of smokers who are brought into being to be most prospective alcoholics and they use if more often. They are also likely to consume it a huge amount per drinking incidents.
Advertising and promoting the products of tobacco has been noted as a factor to encourage the people in associating and influencing itself towards smoking the products which are advertised. The usage of advertisement has been stronger since the competition in the market has taken place (Singh).
In addition to this, there are many companies who vary their avenues in reaching their potential customers in order to achieve competitive benefits over their opponents in the market segment. The companies also practice sponsorships in order to achieve the attention and interest of the local people. The adults and the people who do not smoke have been the major targets for such advertisement, promotions and sponsorships. Additionally, such advertisements aim at endearing the loyalty of the smokers in order to ignore smoking a specific brand and also make an effort to the one being advocated for by the particular promoter. Parties that take place in communities and societies are usually benefitted from the sponsorships. Such parties include schools and communities’ projects. A quite good example is when an earthquake took place at Sichuan sphere. The Sichuan Tobacco company raised the fund for the construction of the areas in the schools which was also known as Sichuan Tobacco Primary School. This is an evidence that the school presence and the subsequent education were secured on the willpower of that tobacco company (Villanti, Andrea, Marc, and Hee-Soon, 133-136).
Sponsoring society and community projects by tobacco industries carries out undesirable social effect. The organizations hide the information that they are busy in building their good and sound image and achieve their huge profits by posturing as channels which are used in following corporate societal responsibilities. The sponsorships support to specific conditions such as permitting the organization to use its name or its product brand. This internment the people’s attention consequently negatively prompting the society and community as a complete. The actual charitable acts must not have the motive of generating profits and sponsorships must be done in a well acceptable manner. Information from the areas of local health prevail in the media society inspire and educate the adults on the necessity of ignoring and further stopping smoking habits. In many cases, people usually get information and ideas from the industry itself because the industry have more than enough finances which are used in funding advertisements and scholarships across the entire globe. On the other hand, many anti-tobacco activists infrequently fund adverts because of their low financial endorsements. This has repudiated them a huge number of internet space for their advertisement as compared to the other tobacco companies (Wills, 43-51).
Stakeholders in the Tobacco Industry
Eying deeper into this usage aired many advertisements on the social media; an individual can easily recognize that families and friends are one of the majorly affected parties. The adults identify these adverts as a symbol of parenthood and self-subsistence. They have a tendency to practice what they visualize and hear from the promotions and advertisements which are posted on the social media particularly when role models and heroes advertise some particular products and services. Their desire is just to copy what their role model and celebrities do. As an outcome, they make themselves addicted and habituated to smoking and drinking such products (Ribisl, 43-53). They further motivate and inspire their family and friends by boasting and encouraging them how they have followed the footsteps of their role models and celebrities. It, meanwhile become a big issue for them to gain money which can be used to fulfil their daily needs of drinking and smoking. This is to state that adults who are habituated began engaging and involving in many unnecessary activities in order to fund their usage of tobacco. It develops conflicts and problems in and between family and peers. This is a direct severe effect of adverts related to tobacco products but connects to sponsorships indirectly. My opinion on this serious issue is that the sponsorships and the advertisements which are received from the industries of tobacco must be limited and restricted in specific areas. Sponsorships must be administered to youths and adults. This is therefore they are mature individual who can easily be informed about the effects and consequences of tobacco and take the best and right decisions with disregard for the advantages they are going to gain from such sponsorships. Additionally, advertising must be highly regulated and the advertiser should give the possible causes and effects which are attained from the usage of tobacco. By this, the advertisements must keep a balance between the advantages and disadvantages of smoking and drinking (Moodie, 670-679).
3.Currently, the huge number of documented proofs on the problems and issues related to the influence of the usage of tobacco has increased instantly. As an outcome, it has created a growth in liability that nearly all industries of tobacco sell their products to the adults. It was also stated that such industries misguide the local public together with customers on health risk factors which are represented regarding smoking and drinking. Large number of campaigns have been conducted in several regions of the nation with an objective of exposing the misguiding acts which are represented by the advertisement of tobacco industry which targets the adults. Such campaigns are supported in order to enlighten the adverse effects found by the usage of tobacco products. Their information’s are circulated to the individual through the social media. American Legacy foundation is the well reputed anti-tobacco foundation which bouts against the making and usage of the tobacco products (Lee, 409-415). The information which is conveyed by the advertisements and campaigns publicize the products in a negative way that creates a difficult time for the industries to redeem and manage their repo. The information also creates an issue for the profits generated by the companies. Employees working in such industry also find it difficult to maintain their individual image. They are supposed as enemies who are contributing to the disgrace of society and communities by relating themselves with the tobacco industries which are being unprotected (Hu et al., 58-64).
Effect of Advertising on Smoking Behavior
The prospects of the managers, workers and consumers are far beyond the aspects of producing and manufacturing and promoting their products. They tend their products to reach far beyond the expectations. Hence, the companies must take an additional responsivities and responsibilities for the results that their customers go during a long period of usage. The companies must take a character of instructive the majority on effects of tobacco. This is the basic and main advantage which a society can receive from it as contrast to other many companies where the stakeholders expect their company to generate opportunities for job for individuals living in the society (Hefler, Marita, Becky, and Simon, 210-214).
Being an executive in a tobacco company, I will initiate a product from the social responsible investment company which will help the community and society in order to generate advantage from practices of the tobacco industry. This will support the industries to overwhelm the issues (Hammond, 327-3337).
For the industry which are examined to be ethical, it must contain investors from the non-profit companies as well. The investors are there to create sector’s sound image. The tobacco industry will then participate in the roles which are played by the NGO without receiving any profits. It must take corrective plans in order to educate individuals on the issues passed by consuming tobacco. The individual who opt to smoke will be known to its adverse effects. By doing such, they will have avoided the fact of being lamented on manufacturing injurious stuffs to people (Freeman, 139-144).
The tobacco industry must also introduce a product which can be easily used in order to facilitate stopping for the already habituated people. It states that the people who tends to quit the habit of smoking will get the support by the company by using a specific product. Additionally, the tobacco companies must be aware that their reputation is enhanced by the development of the effective campaigns and programs which avoids the adults from smoking and drinking. This can include of adverts who shows smoking as an activity done by youths (Eriksen, Michael, Judith, and Hana)
4.The government has a major role in the tobacco industry. Initially, the industry contributes importantly to tax and revenue of a country. The tax is further used by the country in order to cater the needs of the people with disrespect to whether the company’s recipients are smokers or non-smokers. Nevertheless, the government can manage and control or regulate the usage of tobacco by the regulation of polices and several legislations. It is mandatory to educate people so that they will be aware of the bad effects of tobacco. The interventions made by government plays a major role which can create differences in consequent health outcomes. The government can also enhance the taxation and legislations that must be strictly followed. Combined with the approaches from anti-tobacco companies, the use of tobacco can slowly reduce in many countries that smoking is connected (Deyton, Lawrence, Joshua, and Margaret, 1753-1756).
Sponsorship and Community Projects by Tobacco Industries
The government has the rights of quitting advertisement, promotions and sponsorships which are advertised by the tobacco industry with an objective of modifying their marketing and thus the smoking rates of its people. It can allow the companies to print health warnings on their respective products. It can also introduce particular smoking areas for some people who smoke. These are some measures which a government can regulate the usage of tobacco in its country to prevent health issues as well as expenses (Covello et al.).
5.The media is a channel which conveys its information to the community and society via radio, news, internet and magazines. The information which are easily influential. All such channels act as a gateway which are used by the companies with anti-tobacco agencies in order to reduce or motivate smoking. Furthermore, the use of internet has united in advertising the products of tobacco (Chaloupka, Frank, Kurt and Maria).
Mass communication combines across the globe. It is used to enlarge the effects of mass media on the local health. It is found that an important percentage of smokers are majorly from the most developed countries. This is just because, such countries have sound facilities which permit companies to advertise their products so effectively and also capture the market. The role of media in encouraging people to control the use of tobacco is the major and leading in the developed countries. The media has combined with anti -tobacco interventions which ranges from announcements which are being promoted on the mass media to the advertisements of tobacco across the entire world. Is has been paid by anti-tobacco agencies to scatter the particular information that leads to decrease the habits in adults. It is proof that the exposed messages by the mass media about tobacco issues aims at decreasing its usage. Many people believe that information from media is always accurate. So, if the media shows the bad effects of the tobacco and it will also create bad impact on the minds of the people against products of tobacco (Bakke, and Dag, 22-28).
The contradicting segment is that the industry importantly invested in the media who promote their products. The adverts are then sent to the customers very quick particularly to the smokers. The companies have a faith that every smoker have high self-esteem in order to decide what is right and they do not want to listen others when they smoke. Hence, they finance the media to support them in promoting their products. In many cases, heroes and models in the movies smoke and the adults tend to be like them just to compare themselves with their role models. On the contrary, the media is of great value to the government because it is used to air out the policies that are implemented and formulated to manage the usage of tobacco products. So, it is right that the media plays a role in shaping an image in the minds of the people. It has either addict people or it can encourage people to prevent it (Arrazola, 381-385)
Negative Social Effects of Tobacco Industry
References
Arrazola, René A., et al. “Tobacco use among middle and high school students-United States, 2011-2014.” MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report 64.14 (2015): 381-385.
Bakke, Øystein, and Dag Endal. “Vested interests in addiction research and policy alcohol policies out of context: Drinks industry supplanting government role in alcohol policies in sub?Saharan Africa.” Addiction 105.1 (2010): 22-28.
Chaloupka, Frank J., Kurt Straif, and Maria E. Leon. “Effectiveness of tax and price policies in tobacco control.” Tobacco Control (2010): tc-2010.
Covello, Vincent T., David B. McCallum, and Maria T. Pavlova, eds. Effective risk communication: the role and responsibility of government and nongovernment organizations. Vol. 4. Springer Science & Business Media, 2012.
Deyton, Lawrence, Joshua Sharfstein, and Margaret Hamburg. “Tobacco product regulation—a public health approach.” New England Journal of Medicine 362.19 (2010): 1753-1756.
Eriksen, Michael, Judith Mackay, and Hana Ross. The tobacco atlas. No. Ed. 4. American Cancer Society, 2013.
Freeman, Becky. “New media and tobacco control.” Tobacco control 21.2 (2012): 139-144.
Hammond, David. “Health warning messages on tobacco products: a review.” Tobacco control 20.5 (2011): 327-337.
Hefler, Marita, Becky Freeman, and Simon Chapman. “Tobacco control advocacy in the age of social media: using Facebook, Twitter and change.” Tobacco control 22.3 (2013): 210-214.
Hu, Teh-wei, et al. “The role of taxation in tobacco control and its potential economic impact in China.” Tobacco control 19.1 (2010): 58-64.
Lee, Youn Ok, et al. “Youth tobacco product use in the United States.” Pediatrics 135.3 (2015): 409-415.
Moodie, Rob, et al. “Profits and pandemics: prevention of harmful effects of tobacco, alcohol, and ultra-processed food and drink industries.” The Lancet 381.9867 (2013): 670-679.
Ribisl, Kurt M. “Research gaps related to tobacco product marketing and sales in the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act.” Nicotine & Tobacco Research 14.1 (2011): 43-53.
Richardson, Amanda, Ollie Ganz, and Donna Vallone. “Tobacco on the web: surveillance and characterisation of online tobacco and e-cigarette advertising.” Tobacco control 24.4 (2015): 341-347.
Sheehan, Kim Bartel. Controversies in contemporary advertising. Sage Publications, 2013.
Singh, Tushar. “Tobacco use among middle and high school students—United States, 2011–2015.” MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report 65 (2016).
Villanti, Andrea, Marc Boulay, and Hee-Soon Juon. “Peer, parent and media influences on adolescent smoking by developmental stage.” Addictive behaviors 36.1-2 (2011): 133-136.
Wills, Thomas A., et al. “Risk factors for exclusive e-cigarette use and dual e-cigarette use and tobacco use in adolescents.” Pediatrics 135.1 (2015): e43-e51.
World Health Organization. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2013: enforcing bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. World Health Organization, 2013.
Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:
Turnitin Report
Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
