Mass Media

Mass media play a very important role in reflecting the life of society and building opinions. There are different kinds of mass media: press, television, radio, posters, advertisements, etc. All of them do much to excite an interest in every aspect of the country's life. They draw the public's attention to the most serious political, economic, social and ecological problems. They help to develop a broader understanding of the present-day world around us, to form our outlook. So as mass media actually raise the most vital problems, the effectiveness of their influence on the people is great. They keep people informed on all topical issues of the day.

1. Take the press, for example. It is often called a mirror of current events. It includes newspapers and magazines. Public life, rich in interesting and important events, receives full coverage on the pages of our newspapers. The educational role of the press is extremely great. If you are a regular reader of the press, you'll be well-informed in all questions. There are magazines and newspapers for almost every trade, profession, sport, hobby or interest. The editorial usually deals with the topical issue of the day: important international and domestic news items. Different newspaper columns publish material on many different subjects including brief reviews of current events, critical comments on social life, interviews given by famous people. Some newspapers and magazines carry supplements, which are very helpful for readers. In our country there are dailies, weeklies, monthlies. Many big cities have evening papers which give the latest news. People can subscribe to as many papers as they like. As for me, I subscribe to The Computer News. It’s a weekly for specialists and entrepreneurs. In Britain such newspapers are called quality newspapers, because they are serious and cover news thoughtfully. In The Computer News you can find all the necessary information on computer world: new discoveries and inventions, network, software, hardware, interesting and entertaining facts, advertisements. The paper has a supplement, which contains information about the computer market: prices, sellers, types of computers and peripherals on sale.

2.TV has stronger effect on people than any other kind of mass media. In my opinion TV is a great force in the world. We get a great amount of information by watching documentaries, science programmes, discussions, interviews, news commentaries. It gives wonderful possibilities for education. Educational programmes enrich our intellect, broaden our outlook, help us to deepen our knowledge in different subjects. We become more cultured people by learning more. No doubt the entertainment value of TV is great too. All entertainment programmes gather big audiences helping people to relax after a hard day's work. But TV has some disadvantages too. Sometimes we become slaves of TV, devoting too much time to it instead of visiting cinemas and theatres, developing hobbies, belonging to clubs, reading books, meeting our friends. It prevents us from communicating with each other and we begin to forget the art of conversation. A lot of violence, sex, crime is shown on TV nowadays which does much harm especially to young viewers. Besides television may lead to poor health through rushed meals, lack of exercise, eyestrain. TV viewers should take into consideration advantages and disadvantages of TV and be reasonable. And those who are responsible for TV output should set high enough ethical and cultural standards in programme-making.

3.Posters are often used as means of propaganda. They can be a vivid commentary on different events. They may be political, travel, advertising, etc. As many other kinds of mass media they touch on different spheres of our life.

4. Radio is also a very important mass medium. We can't imagine our living without radio. Radio offers us a wide range of programmes. You may choose any radio programmes to your taste. For the most up-to-the-minute, quickest news, no medium currently does better than radio. Radio serves the nation more as the headline service. Many radio news broadcasts are what is called “rip and read”. Radio news today functions best as a first alert for important news and as the best source for recent weather information. Informative and educational value of radio programmes is evident too, besides radio is a source of pleasure and entertainment. Moreover it is a very convenient mass medium, because you can listen to the radio doing all kinds of household chores simultaneously (at the same time).

5. The Internet is a computer-based worldwide information network. The Internet is composed of a large number of smaller interconnected networks called internets. These internets may connect tens, hundreds, or thousands of computers, enabling them to share information with each other and to share various resources, such as powerful supercomputers and databases of information. The Internet has made it possible for people all over the world to effectively and inexpensively communicate with each other. Unlike traditional broadcasting media, such as radio and television, the Internet is a decentralized system. Each connected individual can communicate with anyone else on the Internet, can publish ideas, and can sell products with a minimum overhead cost. In the future, the Internet may have a dramatic impact on higher education and business as more universities offer courses and more companies offer goods and services online.

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Dialogue 3	\|	Go back to passage 1. Look it through and comment on the sentence: “The educational role of press is extremely great”. Prove your opinion by examples from your own experience.

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