Retail and the Media

Retail and the Media

Today's media focuses more on a corporations mistakes and less on what the companies give back to the community, making it impossible for the public to see the truth. In every large corporation, there is going to be a fair share of so called 'scandals'. Unfortunately, the media preys on these scandals to bring us, the public, juicy gossip to get through the day. In my opinion, most of the scandals brought to the public's attention have no bearing on the products and services a company brings to the consumer.

Low Pay rates

One of the many topics retailers are hit for is low pay rates. A survey done in 2003, showed the average pay rate for workers in retail to be $6.49. Unfortunately what the media leaves out is "the relatively low pay of sales workers is strongly influenced by the large numbers employed in the retail trade industry" (Buckley, 2003, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 9). It does not take a lot to run a register, stock a shelf, zone a side counter or unload a truck. You get paid for the job you do.

Although the pay rate for a sales worker is low compared to the wage in other areas of interest, most retailers offer other benefits. These benefits include, but are not limited to, the following: 401k plans with company contributions; health care; stock purchase plans with company contributions; critical need funds for employees who come upon hard times; and some companies even offer college scholarships to employees and their families.

Now as you move up in a company, your pay increases with the position. In the same survey done for the average wage of the sales worker, it shows the average rate for a manager is $33.26 (Buckley, 2003, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2). This tends to be something that is overlooked in the media. You can compare it to starting out in an office as a mail clerk. Sure, you work for a big corporation in a big building on Wall Street, but you still are not making the bank. But as you work your way up, your pay rate reflects it. In any job, you have to start out on the bottom and work your way up to career status.

Here is an example of a mother who stuck with her low paying job and in the end got the pay off:

Willie Cole, a middle aged black mother, knows the economic hardships that face the poor neighborhoods of Los Angeles. She was unemployed for two years until she landed a cashier job at a Wal-Mart that opened in Crenshaw in 2003. Although her position typically pays less than $20,000 annually, she stuck with it and was promoted into a management-training program a year later. (Chaddha, 2005, Good for the 'Hood, 6)

Community Involvement

Even when a company does well for communities whether it is by opening stores to create jobs or by donating money to local charities, the media always finds ways to bring an end to the good intentions. In 2002 target received a request for a cash donation to a Vietnam veterans memorial. When told they do not meet the criteria for donations, instead of asking for clarification, the organization launched an e-mail campaign against Target. Target responded to this e-mail campaign as follows:

The specific request was turned down because company policy prohibits individual stores from handing out donations except in the form of gift cards. Requests for cash grants must go through corporate headquarters. Unfortunately the veteran and his organization were not provided the proper information to facilitate consideration of a grant from either the store or our corporate office. We are truly sorry for the manner in which this was handled and the resulting confusion that has taken place. (Coombe, 2002, Target vs. Vietnam Veterans, 6&7)

Target representatives admitted their fault of a miscommunication and explained their side (Target vs. Vietnam Veterans, 2002, 5). The company is still haunted by reproductions of this misunderstanding on websites such as don't shop at Target.com.

Target has helped many community programs with grants. They have funded school programs, library programs, even programs for planned parent hood. One of the large programs Target helped fund was in January of 2005. The public libraries in the counties of Cincinnati and Hamilton held various celebrations for the remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., all of which Target provided grants for (WKRC 12 Cincinnati, 2005).

Another corporation haunted by bad press is Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is known nation wide for its community involvement efforts. The company will donate $5 million over three years for the development of the first state of the art digital hospital in Bentonville, Arkansas (Wojick, 2005). According to Wal-Mart figures, $700,000 plus were the amount of donations divvied up among 150 local charities in four counties in northern New Jersey and northeastern Pennsylvania (Hall, 2005).

In the same article, Wal-Mart was accused of using these charitable donations as a "smokescreen, to gloss over bad press" (Hall, 2005, Wal-Mart good deeds damned, 2). Despite Wal-Mart's generosity with organizations such as Children's Miracle Network (CMN), local churches, homeless and women's shelter's, and many more local charities, the media still manages to twist their giving nature into a ploy to deter the bad press.

According to Wal-Mart president David Glass, "CMN is clearly the favorite charitable cause of our associates" (Wal-Mart Donates $29 million to CMN, 3). In June $29 million was donated to CMN, a regional total of donations made nation wide (Wal-Mart Donates $29 million to CMN, 2005). Not only do Wal-Marts good will efforts help out the community, it also allows associates to get involved and give back to the community. Many of the community events held by associates include shopping events with less fortunate children, hot dog sales, bake