My Academic Work and Memberships

New Media, Advertising and Public Policy
 

Dr. Ruth Walden of UNC-Chapel Hill suggested in 1994 that I — a new PhD student at the school — look into the National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus. I did and have followed that early research with related study into new media, new media policy and regulatory affairs.

My interest is not the First Amendment issues surrounding restrictions on advertising or new media, though I am familiar with the pertitent cases and research in this area. I'm fascinated with the methods by which a society chooses what boundaries to place on communication, in general, and persuasion, in specific. Often the legal restrictions imposed by legislative fiat or policy specialists are reflective of society's interests, beliefs, indeed, even self-confidence.

That we in this country choose to see advertising as sometimes informative, sometimes persuasive, would hardly be a surprise to interested parties in other countries. But what role does advertising play in these "other" economies? Is American-styled advertising seen as a de facto form of cultural imperialism? What methods can other countries take to regulate this new global advertising? What impact will these new regulatory policy initiatives have on growing global brands, such as Coca-Cola?

In addition, I am interested in the impact has television advertising had on our children? If advertising is the most salient reflection of capitalism, what type of capitalist habits does it create? Have we raised a generation of children who have learned how to be consumers from television advertising?

In summary, I intend to continue my research into new media, new media policy, advertising regulation and international commercial speech regulation.

 

Academic Memberships
 

AEJMC Mass Communication and Society Division

AEJMC International Division

AEJMC Communication Technology and Public Policy Division

AEJMc Law Division

American Advertising Association



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Page Last Updated 9/4/99
Copyright 1999 Thomas Gould
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