Wal-Mart and Class Inequalities Essay -- increasing class inequality

Wal-Mart has become a staple company in many communities. It is a place where individuals can find most of their needs, and many of their wants. The appeal of Wal-Mart can be found in its slogan, â€Å"Always Low Prices.† It is the appeal of low prices during a time of economic recession that entices consumers. What many consumers do not recognize are the means by which Wal-Mart ensures these low prices. The media coverage of Wal-Mart during the recent months has not been favorable towards the company, and with lawsuits pending regarding issues such as low wages, anti-union practices, and sexual discrimination, Wal-Mart provides an avenue for examining media and alternative media depictions of the issues. This analysis will determine the extent to which media sources provide information on Wal-Mart and the allegations, and how this corporation is working to reduce class inequality. The focus will more broadly develop an argument which claims that superclass interes ts are the driving force behind our media, and therefore our exposure to critique of the system is limited. There are three articles that will be referenced during this analysis. The first article is taken from the mainstream media publication USA Today. â€Å"Wal-Mart takes hits on worker treatment: Lawsuits, unions slam megaretailer†(Armour, 2003) argues that Wal-Mart is coming under attack from critics who argue workers are underpaid, women are discriminate against, and illegal tactics are being deployed to kill unionization efforts. Armour (2003) states, â€Å"company officials say they don’t know why the attacks are coming now, and they also say the allegations are unfounded.† The next statement made during the article states that Wal-Mart employees agree with the statement. The author continues reporting on the issues at stake, but focuses mostly on how unions may be less relevant in today’s world. The article makes mention of both sides of the argument, but the rhetoric and terminology used leans towards the portrayal of Wal-Mart as a victim o f biased attacks to further union interests in the market. Perucci and Wysong (1999) would argue that this article is a perfect example of selective reporting, â€Å"unstated but routine news reporting policies and practices that produce a preponderance of flattering news media coverage of superclass-favored issues† (1999:160). It ... ...tive media portrayals of an issue. Ultimately this assignment was beneficial to my perspective on class issues. It exposed me to multitudes of informational sources ranging from mainstream to alternative. It was also interesting to see the ways in which issues are portrayed differently, and as I mentioned other the lack of blaming the system is extremely interesting. The various sources opened my eyes to the reality of media impact and control over our lives and opinions. It is difficult to see beyond the obvious appeal of corporations such as Wal-Mart, but this should be apparent to me after all these years of sociology. I think this assignment really helped me to think outside the box, and really analyze who has control; it isn’t me or you. That’s for sure. Works Cited Armour, Stephanie. 2003. â€Å"Wal-Mart Takes Hits on Worker Treatment.† USA Today. Hellerman, Caleb. 2004. â€Å"The Wal-Martization of Everywhere† & â€Å"Low Road/High Road.† Retrieved March 6, 2004 from: www.inequality.org. Olsson, Karen. 2003. â€Å"Up Against Wal-Mart.† Mother Jones. 28:2. Perrucci, Robert and Earl Wysong. 1999. The New Class Society. Lantham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.