What do you know about English newspapers?
Have you ever read any English newspaper?
The term "media" may include any communication system by which people are informed, educated or entertained. In Britain it generally refers to the print industries (the press or newspapers and magazines) and broadcasting (terrestrial or earth-based television, cable and satellite television, radio and video). These system overlap to some extent with each other and with books, film and the Internet; are profitable businesses; and are tied to advertising, sponsorship, commerce and industry.
The media have evolved from simple methods of production, distribution and communication to their present sophisticated technologies. Their growth and variety have greatly improved information dispersal, news availability and entertainment opportunities. They cover homes, places of business and leisure activities and their influence is very powerful and an inevitable part of daily life. For example, surveys indicate that 69 per cent of Britons obtain their daily news from television, 20 per cent from newspapers and 11 per cent from radio. Electronic technology, such as the Internet, is an important part of media, business and education, while the British use of home-view videos is the highest in the world.
But the media provoke debates about what is socially and morally permissible in their content and methods. Questions are asked about the role of advertising and sponsorship, the quality of the services provided, the alleged danger of the concentrated ownership of media resources, influence on politics, restraints upon "free expression" and the ethical responsibility of the media to individuals and society.
Comprehension
1. What does the term media refer to?
2. In which ways have the media been developed?
True or false
3. The term media includes advertising and sponsorship.
4. Technologies are now part of the media.
5. The media respect social and moral limits.
6. People are concerned about influence on politics.
Use of English
- Find in the text one synonym for"get".
- Find in the text one opposite for "worsen"
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Give a noun with the same root as "important"
- Turn the following sentence into the passive voice: "The media provoke debates about what is socially and morally permissible"
- Turn the following sentence into reported speech: "Their growth and variety have greatly improved information dispersal"
Hi!! Today I would like each of you to become an important researcher. You have a mission: you have to find out as much information as possible about English newspapers. You probably know nothing but don´t worry. This little activity is intented to approach you to this aspect of English culture and the language used in the media. This is the task: you must answer some questions related to English newspapers in order to be the best detective. You can start visiting web pages about British newspapers! This is the first part of your mission. You will have more news soon. Good luck!!
1. What types of newspapers can you find in England?
2. Explain the meaning of "tabloid" and "broadsheet". Give examples.
3. Choose three English newspapers you like and explain the type of information they publish.
4. Choose one newspaper paper page to identify the following parts: headline, article, reporter, column, title, the front page.
5. What type of language structures are usually used in newspapers?
6. Choose one newspaper article and analyze both content and structure.
Websites:
Daily Mail: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/
Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/
The Independent: http://www.independent.co.uk/
Sunday Mirror: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sunday-mirror/
Sunday Times: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/
The times: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/
Daily Star: http://www.megastar.co.uk/
Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
http://www.britishpapers.co.uk/category/quality/
http://esl.about.com/od/intermediatereading/a/newsheadlines.htm
