Media and Communication

Maturita topic 19, general part, at Cambridge B2 First level. The specific part of this topic is Ways of Electronic Communication, Rules for Designing Webpages.

What to talk about

• types of media – press, radio, TV, the internet, social media
• where you get news and information from
• the role of the media – informing, entertaining, influencing, advertising
• fake news, disinformation and media literacy
• how communication has changed – from letters to messaging apps

Model answer

The media are all the ways information reaches large numbers of people. Traditional mass media include the press – newspapers and magazines – radio and television. Today the most important medium is the internet, with news websites, video platforms like YouTube, podcasts and social media.

The media have several roles. They inform us about what is happening in the world, they entertain us, they educate, and they also influence our opinions. That’s why free and independent media are so important in a democracy – journalists should be able to criticise politicians and uncover scandals. Most media also depend on advertising, which is how many websites and apps can be “free” – in fact we pay with our attention and our data.

Personally, I hardly ever read printed newspapers or watch TV news. I get most of my information online – from news websites, from YouTube and, to be honest, from social media. The problem is that on social media anybody can publish anything, and fake news and disinformation spread very fast, because shocking stories get more clicks and shares. The algorithms also show us mainly content we agree with, so we can end up in a filter bubble. That’s why media literacy is so important: we should check who wrote an article, look for the original source, compare several sources and be careful about headlines that sound too dramatic – so-called clickbait.

Communication between people has changed enormously too. My grandparents wrote letters and had one telephone at home; today we send messages, voice messages and photos instantly, make video calls with people on the other side of the world and work in online teams. It’s fast and practical, but sometimes I feel that we’ve forgotten how to talk to each other face to face. I think the key is to use technology wisely – as a tool, not as a replacement for real relationships.

Vocabulary

Grammar worth showing

• reported speech: The article said that prices would rise. The minister claimed he hadn’t known.
• passive with reporting verbs: It is said that… / He is believed to be…
• modal verbs for speculation: This story might be fake. It can’t be true.

Useful phrases

• I usually get my news from…
• I tend to trust… more than…, because…
• The danger is that…
• Before sharing something, I always…
• It’s hard to tell whether…

Speaking practice

Part 1 – about you

Part 3 / 4 – discussion