Final answer:
News media employs advertisements to influence consumer spending habits, using strategies such as the bandwagon fallacy.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the news media uses advertisements to encourage us to spend in a certain way, they are engaging in a practice that has significant implications on both the economy and society. The act of using advertisements to influence spending habits is a strategic approach that leverages various marketing means. Advertisements are precisely designed to shape consumer behavior by promoting goods, services, or ideas in a way that not only informs but also persuades the audience.
In this context, advertising works by capitalizing on human psychology, often employing the bandwagon fallacy, which suggests that 'everyone' is using a product, to inspire purchases. This can have profound effects on consumer habits, potentially leading to unnecessary consumption or affecting societal norms. With advancements in technology, advertisers have had to find new ways to reach consumers, as traditional advertising venues face challenges like ad-skipping features on devices and decreased revenues for print and television ads.
Moreover, the functions of the media are deeply intertwined with advertising, as media corporations rely on ad revenue to sustain their operations. Corporations sponsor programs that attract viewers to secure a platform for their advertisements. This dependency on advertising revenue means that often, media content is tailored to maintain and attract viewership that is appealing to advertisers.