Вопросы по аспекту СМИ

1. What types of media can you name? What are the media often accused of?

The media are the main means of mass communication. They include print media such as newspapers and magazines, and electronic media such as radio and television, and also the Internet.

Newspapers, especially tabloid newspapers, are often accused of taking an excessive interest in the private lives of famous people, or celebrities. Celebrities, as well as ordinary people, complain about invasion of privacy when they feel their private lives are being examined too closely. They complain about intrusive reporting techniques like the use of paparazzi, who take pictures without the subject's knowledge or permission. Other intrusive methods include door-stepping, and secretly recording conversations by bugging rooms with hidden microphones, or bugs. Journalists are often criticized for bias, when the writer's or editor's beliefs or values intrude into news coverage.

2. What is the difference between tabloids and broadsheets? What is the difference between their readerships?

Broadsheets are large-sized newspapers, and are printed on a size of paper known as broadsheet. They are sometimes referred to as the qualities, or the heavies. Broadsheets are considered to be informative and objective, keeping news and opinion firmly apart. They present the reader with serious news which is supported with detailed and informed analysis and comment on economic, political, social and world events. Such newspapers are considered to be accepted and respected by most people.

Tabloids are newspapers whose pages are about half the size of broadsheet newspapers. Tabloids usually contain many photographs, attention-grabbing headlines and sensational stories, often concerning scandal involving prominent figures. They are considered more entertaining than informative in terms of their news coverage.

They have even bigger readerships. Broadsheets are read by all people in a particular country, mostly by businessmen and politicians, and tabloids are popular among teenagers and women.

3. What kinds of articles can a newspaper carry? What is meant by a biased article?

Newspapers carry articles or stories covering the latest developments at home and in the world. Articles other than the most important ones can also be referred to as pieces. Editorials give the paper's opinion about the news of the day. In a quality paper the most important editorial is the leading article or leader. Editorials are written by leader writers. Leaders are usually front-page articles. Newspapers also carry brief news items and feature articles. Brief news articles are often referred to as 'hard news' articles covering news of the day and deal with factual details, they contain little description, no journalistic comment or analysis. Features are special long articles, they explore specific subjects in depth, they are also called feature stories, they feature all aspects of life in society.

An article can be called biased, if the writer's or editor's beliefs or values intrude into news coverage. To be qualified as unbiased, articles have to be objective and fair.