#livingUruguay6

Mass media
Read the following quotes. What’s your opinion about what they say?

“What the media offers is not popular art, but entertainment which is intended to be
consumed like food, forgotten, and replaced by a new dish.”
- W.H. Auden

“The great thing about social media was how it gave a voice to voiceless people.”
- Jon Ronson

“The media’s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the
innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control
the minds of the masses.”
- Malcolm X

“Technology and social media have brought power back to the people.”
- Mark McKinnon

Label the different mass media:

Internet Radio Television Satellite / Cable Newspaper Billboard

Book Advertisement Social Media Podcast Magazine / Journal

Source: flaticon.com
UNIT 2 News and media 74
 #livingUruguay6

What are the most common / convenient / interesting / useful /

trustworthy media for you?

What is the text on the following page about? Guess what the text is
about by reading the following sentences and writing Yes or No.

1. The text is about the role of social

media in modern society.

2. The text mentions the importance

mass media has in our lives.

3. It highlights that today there are a lot of

interesting channels on TV, so everyone
can choose what they want to watch.

4. It deals with the importance that mass media

has had for many years for advertising and
for creating a company’s brand.

5. It presents the pros and cons of mass media.

6. It introduces the history of mass media.

UNIT 2 News and media 75

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 #livingUruguay6

Read the text and underline the main ideas. Then, write a
summary or create a mind map of the text.

What is Mass Media?

The source that the majority of the general public uses to get their news and information from is
considered mass media. The importance of the media today is immense. In the last 50 years the
media influence has grown a lot with the advance of technology; therefore, never before in
mankind’s history has the media had such a significant impact on our lives and behavior. First, there
was the telegraph, then the radio, the newspaper, magazines, television and now the internet.

Mass media means technology that is intended to reach a mass audience. It is the primary means of
communication used to reach the vast majority of the general public who typically relies on the mass
media to get the current news and facts about what is important and what they should be aware of.
People have put their trust in the media as an authority to provide them with news, entertainment
and education.

The most common platforms for mass media have always been newspapers, magazines, radio,
television, and the Internet. However, it has evolved significantly over time. The newspaper was the
original platform for mass media. For a long period of time, people relied on writers and journalists
from the local newspapers to provide them with the latest news in current events. By the end of the
XIX century, the radio replaced the newspapers as the principal source of news regarding politics,
social issues and entertainment. After that, in the 1940s and 1950s, television invaded the world’s
homes, becoming the most effective platform to reach the general public. Today, the internet is the
most relevant form of mass media and has become a major tool for new outlets. With the arrival of
the internet, which in the beginning people called the world wide web, the general public is now able
to access those same news outlets in an instant, instead of having to wait for scheduled programs.

News on TV and radio, our favorite movies on streaming services, articles in newspapers and
magazines, makes media an integral part of our everyday life. Considering it has a vast influence on
people all over the world, brands use various platforms to convey a company’s image and create a
good reputation. In this way, brands can effectively promote their goods and services.

The main characteristics of mass media are: they are professional type of communication, they
appeal to a large and vast audience; they communicate a public message; they can be transmitted
through various channels, (TV, the internet, radio and newspapers); there’s a distance between a
source of information and the destination; absence of feedback (news of information can’t receive
feedback) and finally, they have a heterogeneous audience.

Mass media is a significant force that reflects and creates the culture. In today’s world, everyone is
taking benefit of modern mass media and spending a huge amount on it. They occupy a great part of
our lives as something that helps us to have some entertainment, to obtain information and broaden
our outlook.

UNIT 2 News and media 76

 #livingUruguay6
Exchange your work with your partner who will make some
comments about it:

For example: There is important information missing in your summary/mind map.

Your summary/mind map is complete and clear.

There are different types of mass media, depending on their format or the way
they reach their audience. The four main types of mass media are:

DIGITAL MEDIA BROADCASTING MEDIA PRINT MEDIA

OUTDOOR / OUT OF HOME MEDIA

Read the definitions below and match them with the correct type of mass media.

Get into pairs and think of examples to add to the types of media:

DIGITAL BROADCASTING PRINT OUTDOOR /

MEDIA MEDIA MEDIA OUT OF HOME MEDIA

radio stations

UNIT 2 News and media 77

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UNIT 2 News and media 81

 #livingUruguay6
Choose an icon for each paragraph, write the numbers into
the circles. There’s an extra one.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Source: flaticon.com

Get into pairs and discuss: What do you suppose the extra one means? Why is it there?

Now, read the infographic again and answer the questions:

1. Why should readers be careful when reading or watching the news?

_________________________________________________________

2. Why do powerful corporations influence the media?

_________________________________________________________

3. How can journalists manipulate a story?

_________________________________________________________

4. Why do journalists need to check their stories?

_________________________________________________________

5. What happened in Japan?

_________________________________________________________

6. Why do governments cooperate with the media?

UNIT 2 News and media 82

 #livingUruguay6
Match the words and phrases in red in the text with their meanings.

1. Television, newspapers, internet and radio: __________

media outlets

2. A word that is not correctly written: ____________________

3. A piece of news that is truthful and precise: ____________________

4. The State and its administration: ____________________

5. Showing a bad aspect of something: ____________________

6. Photoshopping: __________________

7. The state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc.: _________________

8. A problem or difficulty with no satisfactory solution: ________________

9. Information presented in such a way that it influences the reader: _________________

10. Easy to do or understand, not complicated. Also, honest and open:

While we should take care of what we read in the news, it is not true that there is nothing
we can trust. There are some tips to help us decide if we can trust what we hear and read.
Match the columns.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

1. Sources A. When the tone of a news item is angry, malicious, or very critical -or the opposite,
when things seem too good- it can mean that the author is not being objective.

2. Objectivity B. Is there evidence of exhaustive research? Is the story based on just one source? Are
the sources consistent and accurate? Are they balanced, or do they show only one
point of view?

3. Provider C. Ask yourself: “Is the piece of news primarily to inform or entertain? Is it trying to
sell or support something?”

4. Consistency D. Does the article come from a credible, respectable person or organization? Does
the publication, program or website have a reputation for seriousness or for
sensationalism? Who provides the funds for the news source?

5. Purpose E. How long ago did the event happen? Something considered valid 20 years ago may
be disregarded today. On the other hand, if the news is too recent, maybe there isn't
complete and extensive information yet.

6. Time F. Ask yourself: “Are the facts consistent with those in other articles or reports?”
If stories contradict one another, something is not right!

UNIT 2 News and media 83

 Get into groups and read this definition of media literacy: #livingUruguay6

Do you agree with this definition? How do the media tips we worked with relate to
media literacy? Share your opinions with the class.

Let’s help Emma decide whether to trust the news media or not. Give her some
advice about the news media, consider everything we have worked with.
Write five sentences.
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Teenagers and the news

These teenagers are students in Emma’s and Duma’s school.
They were asked about the topic: “Teenagers and the news”
for a school magazine. This is what they answered.

Lucía Odella, 16
From my point of view, social networks, the TV news, the radio, newspapers, web
pages and instant messages apps are relevant means of communication since
they make it possible for people to communicate and share with each other. On
the other hand, social media allows for people that are not informed to give their
opinion and they tend to be judgmental and speak without a foundation. I don't
agree with that aspect. I believe that being informed doesn't depend on the age
of the person; some people prefer to do it for personal benefit and others don't
care about it. Besides, every person has his/her preferences when it comes to
choosing a means of communication. This preference is based on how
comfortable they feel with each one. Anyway, I'd say that there may exist some
inclination to choose one media over another one depending on the age of the
person and the media that the person is more accustomed to using. Many times I
even listen to a piece of news from other people. In the future, I consider that the
information will be easier to access, faster and even more instantaneous. To my
mind, there will be holograms that will appear in the streets, means of transport,
educational centers, public spaces, everywhere and they will be informing you at
any moment about the latest news.

UNIT 2 News and media 84

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Antonella Machado, 17
I strongly believe that the means of communication, such as the television, the
newspaper, the radio and even the cellphone to get to other media play an
important role to inform people nowadays. Furthermore, we must be cautious
when consuming news since many times we can run into the so-called "fake
news". Although I think that age is not an impediment to being able to be
informed, not everybody decides to do so. I consider that the time in which we
grew up will determine the means by which we get informed. However, many
people manage to adapt to the "modern media”. In my case, I get informed of the
daily news via my cellphone checking up social networks and the television; my
friends use mostly the cellphone. It is obvious to me that in the future many media
will cease to have relevance, for example, the newspaper is a clear example of this
since we can notice that over the years it was losing significance. Therefore,
everything is leaning toward the virtual world now.

Camilo Villalba, 16
The media that I know that are used to transmit news are the radio,
television and social networks. I consider them useful and fundamental.
It is important for people to learn about world news. Anyway, as I see it,
not everybody is interested in knowing the latest news. I try to get
informed, I use the television and social media by using my cellphone for
that. My friends use the same means of communication. I guess that in
the future people will use the same media, but there will be more
technology developed for that.

Lucía Almada, 16
I consider that no media outlet is 100 percent reliable. The
news I look for are those that are most controversial at the
moment, something that may have happened and is known
worldwide, or else I simply investigate things that I want to
know. In my view, sometimes adults don't use all of the social
media. As far as I’m concerned, young people use Twitter and
Instagram, and adults tend to use Facebook more. I don't think
they use TikTok that much for example.

Ayelén Lombardo, 16
Many media outlets transmit information, there are news programs that are
broadcast on television and the radio, or you can use social networks such as
Twitter, Instagram, etc. to be informed. I think that these means to inform us are
fundamental since being informed helps us as a society. I think that when it comes
to teenagers and adults we are always informed in one way or another. I usually
get informed through social networks such as Instagram and WhatsApp. If you
ask me, some of my friends are informed by social networks like me, and others
don't care about getting informed directly. Personally, I like to know about
different topics and I am interested in all the news in general. However, I get a
little bored by the crime news and I rather watch the sports news.

Photos by Lucía Odella, Antonella Machado, Camilo Villalba,

UNIT 2 News and media Lucía Almada and Ayelén Lombardo. 85
 What expressions do the teenagers use to express their opinions #livingUruguay6
in the text? Which ones do they use to connect their ideas?

Expressing opinions: Connecting ideas:

Read the texts again and write a tick next to the corresponding question
according to what each teenager says. Who was asked each question?

Question: Lucía O. Antonella Camilo Lucía A. Ayelén

1. Which media source are the

news transmitted on?

2. What's your opinion about

those media outlets?

3. Do you think that people of

all ages get informed?

4. Do people get informed

through the same media?

5. Do you get informed on a

daily basis?

6. Do your friends get informed?

What media do they use?

7. Are the media outlets

reliable?

8. What pieces of news are you

more interested in getting
informed about?

9. How do you think it will be the

most common way to transmit
information in the future?

10.

UNIT 2 News and media 86

NAME: ________________________ DATE: ________________________
GRAMMAR WORKSHEET
FIRST CONDITIONAL
“if” clause main clause
If it rains, … … he will bring his umbrella.
… he won’t play outside.

main clause “if” clause

He will bring his umbrella… … if it rains.
He won’t play outside …
The first conditional is used to talk about things that may possibly happen in the future.

 Complete the sentences below by making First Conditional statements. Use your
imagination!

1. If we don’t arrive on time, ______________________________________________

2. I will watch TV _____________________________________________________

3. If he gets up at 5 o’clock, ______________________________________________

4. We will be hungry ___________________________________________________

5. If the phone rings, ___________________________________________________

6. I will laugh ________________________________________________________

7. If our exam isn’t tomorrow, _____________________________________________

8. They won’t buy a new car _____________________________________________

9. If you hit me, ______________________________________________________

10. I’ll give you ten dollars _______________________________________________

11. If he doesn’t take a bus, ______________________________________________

12. The glass will break __________________________________________________

13. If I don’t watch that movie _____________________________________________

14. My boss will get angry ________________________________________________

15. If the weather is nice tomorrow, ________________________________________

Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use. © www.allthingsgrammar.com

 Writing: A website review – exercises
Look at the website review and do the exercises to improve your writing skills.

Preparation
Tick all the types of review that you might see in a technology magazine.

1. laptop reviews 5. hotel reviews

2. movie reviews 6. phone reviews

3. book reviews 7. computer game reviews

4. website reviews
1. Check your understanding: matching
Match the paragraphs with their topic and write a–d next to the number 1–4.

1…….. Paragraph 1 a. a conclusion and overall opinion

2…….. Paragraph 2 b. good things about the website

3…….. Paragraph 3 c. general information about the website

4…….. Paragraph 4 d. some of the problems of the website

2. Check your writing: grouping – facts and opinions

Write the sentences from the review in the correct group.

You choose a song You can repeat a line There are songs in This is an
and a level. of the song. different languages. excellent website.

I can learn English while I listen

It’s very easy to navigate. It’s great!
to my favourite songs.

Facts Opinions

3. Check your writing: gap fill – useful phrases

Write the correct phrase from the review for the meaning given.

1. Meaning: A website I really like … ………..…………………………..………….…… (5 words)

2. Meaning: One advantage is that … ………..………………………..…………….…… (7 words)
3. Meaning: For example … (2 answers) ………..………………………..…………….…… (2 words)
4. ………..…………………………..………….…… (2 words)
5. Meaning: In conclusion … ………..…………………………..………….…… (3 words)
6. Meaning: Have a look at it … …………..………………………..………….…… (3 words)

Discussion

What type of websites do you like best?