Year 10 - Citizenship
What is the role of the media in our democracy?
How does the media hold those in power to account?
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
Pupils consider what role the media plays in democracy and how the media is used to hold those in power to account. They consider what responsible journalism is and the impact of misinformation.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain the role that media has within a democracy.
Key Notes
- Media includes mediums of getting information out to the masses on a large scale.
- There are different types of media: broadcast (TV, radio) print (newspapers, magazines) and new media (socials, blogs).
- The UK has a free press which means it is not subject to interference from the Government, this is vital in a democracy.
- Media supports democracy by providing us with information, checking the work of the Government and allowing for debate.
Vocabulary To Learn
- media: mediums of information which can reach a large number of people, such as television, newspapers and social media
- democracy: a system of government where citizens are able to have their say
- representative demoracy: a system of government in which citizens vote in regular, fair elections for representatives who then make laws and decisions on their behalf
- free press: the right of media to report news and express opinions without government censorship or interference
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- The Government are able to control the media.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Media includes mediums of getting information out to the masses on a large scale. There are different types of media: broadcast (TV, radio) print (newspapers, magazines) and new media (socials, blogs).
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'media'
mediums of information which can reach a large number of people, such as television, newspapers and social media.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: The Government are able to control the media. Correction: The media is separate from the Government and this is an important feature of a democracy.
More Lessons In This Unit
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