ACTA UNIVERSITATIS LODZIENSIS Folia Litteraria Polonica 3(54) 2019 http://dx.doi.org/10.18778/1505-9057.54.05 Barbara Sobczak* https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1408-8256 Self-promotion of TV Stations from a Rhetorical Perspective Persuasion Techniques Persuasive techniques When discussing the functions of audio-visual media, researchers usually address those which are mainly focussed on the recipients of the media, i.e. informative, educational, and entertainment functions. In fact, they are enumerated in the Polish Radio and Television Act.1 There is, however, one more important objective of the media from the perspective of a broadcaster: the capturing and keeping the attention of the largest number of viewers in order to be attractive for potential advertisers. It is the latter who, by paying for airtime, enable broadcasters, commercial ones in particular, to remain in the media market.2 Therefore, the mass media have become production companies. By offering recipients specific goods and services, they oper- ate within the market economy and are subject to the economic laws of supply and * Ph.D. hab., Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Faculty of Political Science and Journal- ism, e-mail:
[email protected]. 1 Art. 1(1) of the Radio and Television Act indicates the following tasks for radio and television: providing information, rendering accessible cultural and artistic assets, facilitating the utilisa- tion of education, sports and scientific achievements, propagation of civic education, -provid ing entertainment, and supporting domestic audio-visual creativity, (Radio and Television Act of 29 December 1992, J. of L. of 1993 No. 7 Item 34, http://isap.sejm.gov.pl/DetailsServlet?id= WDU19930070034 [accessed on: 7.11.2014]).