47 Debate/Persuasive Topics On Media and Advertising

The growth and development of media and advertising with the introduction of new technology has been fascinating. To any clear-thinking individual, we can see that it has total coverage in our modern society. Buses, trains, pavements, print media and the entire internet is covered with brightly composed messages and images. It seems also impossible to be able to escape the reach of media and advertising. In some ways, international organisations like the World Bank and the IMF will see this industry as a development benchmark, so in this regard, it demonstrates modernity. That said, how positive has it been for people over the last one hundred years?

Early advertising was very simple and direct. Conversely, modern campaigns are vastly more complex and encompass many months of planning and huge amounts of money. Coca-Cola and P&G, both fast-moving consumer goods companies, spend at least $5 billion on internet ads. The need to communicate directly with consumers is not only competitive but now increasingly a high-stakes game. How this industry will change over the next century is uncertain, but what is clear though is the money and effort invested to gain attention and “eyeball time” will only ever increase.

Media debates and potential argumentative essay topics

1. The influence and reach of the media has become far too powerful.
2. The government is at the mercy of media corporations.
3. The press is more influential than the Church.
4. Tabloid newspapers need to be closely regulated.
5. Television companies and news channels should not be trusted.
6. Press freedom is a myth.
7. Violent crime and war are too explicitly reported.
8. The right to a free trial is more important than a free press.
9. Reality television programmes need to be removed from public life.
10. Stereotypes are reinforced in reality television shows.
11. Press companies all over the world require more regulations and government control.
12. Government sponsored companies like NHK (Japanese) and the BBC (British) should be privately owned.
13. The media has been replaced by social media.
14. Modern politics has been poisoned by media corporations. (Free Starter Debate available here)
15. Regulations should be created to ensure women’s sport is equally represented to men’s sport.
16. The media’s reporting of violent crime and events, like that of school shootings, is directly contributing to further violent crimes.
17. Leaders of media organisations should be vetted to be of sound mind, ethical, without a criminal record, and supports the public good.
18. Digitally editing female models in magazines should be prohibited.
19. Social media is directly contributing to global terrorism.
20. New media is encouraging self-radicalisation of the left and the right.
21. Newspapers are a dead or dying media form.
22. The private lives of celebrities should only be published with prior consent.
23. This house believes that media organisations and social media do not meaningfully influence society.
24. The decline of tv news viewership and newspaper readers is directly due to having an undiversified media workforce.
25. Western press unfairly represents other countries.
26. Traditional press and news have alienated younger people.
27. The public has confidence in media organisations.
28. This house believes that fake news is common.
29. The house believes that media companies chase after sensational stories instead of reporting on more important news.
30. The decline of quality media is a direct result of the population refusing the pay for news.
31. The collapse of TV viewers and newspaper readers is a result of the dumbing down of news stories.
32. Profits come before serving the public.

Advertising debates and potential argumentative essay topics

1. Advertising causes more harm than good.
2. Male and female stereotypes are enforced through advertising.
3. This house believes that advertising misleads the youth.
4. Toy companies should avoid gender stereotyping in their commercials.
5. Online commercials should not target children.
6. Alcohol, junk food, and sugar related adverts need to be banned.
7. Advertising has become ubiquitous and therefore out of control.
8. Self-regulation is the best way to control advertising standards.
9. Without advertising, many businesses would fail.
10. The internet has become a giant advertising billboard and is suffocating for users.
11. Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat influencers should be regulated and clearly marked in videos, tweets and posts.
12. This house believes that individuals have been programmed to sell products to their friends and family.
13. Advertising prevents the best product to be judged on merit and simply on aesthetics.
14. Social influence and peer-pressure is the most damaging form of advertising.
15. Celebrities should not be allowed to endorse products and services.

We hope you like our list. If you are ready to debate, you can check out our free lesson on advertising which comes with a printable PDF and starting points to help you form ideas. You can discuss this topic online too. http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/category/news/media_law/If you would like to learn more about media law and how journalism is conducted, then the Press Gazette is a good place to start. Good luck and leave your comments below.