17. MATURITNÍ OTÁZKA Z ANGLIČTINY
MASS MEDIA
Everybody needs to be in touch with the outside world. To get information, we use mass
media. It is not difficult to use them, mostly the ability to read or listen is enough. Mass media
are everywhere around us and it is no problem to get access to them. There are various types
of media, different people prefer different ones. However, we cannot say, that the media are
completely different in different countries – the basic characteristics are everywhere the same.
Newspapers are a traditional and still widely used source of information. Many people
buy a copy of them regularly, some newspapers are distributed free. The newspaper consists
of articles. Some are serious (news, reviews, sports page), some not (feature articles, gossip
column). An editorial is an article written by the editor (person in charge of the newspaper) to
explain his/her opinion about something. Every article needs a headline and the name of the
journalist (reporter) or correspondent from abroad who wrote it. The newspaper usually
contains other things, like crosswords, horoscopes, weather forecasts, comic strips, letters
pages, obituaries or classified ads. The pictures (with captions under them) among the
columns of the text make it look interesting.
U.S. newspapers: the ones which come out every day, are called dailies. USA Today is
the only national (anywhere in the country) daily, some other examples are The Washington
Post, New York Times and The Wall Street Journal (in large cities). Regionals are newspapers,
which come out only in certain regions, for example Salt Lake Tribune and also The New York
(or Washington) Times.
British newpapers: they can be divided into broadsheets and tabloids. Broadsheets (also
called quality papers) contain important and serious news, the examples are The Times, The
Guardian, The Observer. Tabloids (also called popular papers) are full of stories about
famous people, gossip, they have usually large headlines and many colours (The Mail, The
Sun, The Daily Mirror).
There are various types of magazines, some come out weekly, some bi-weekly, some
monthly. We can read about different topics, like fashion, hobbies, cars, nature, animals,
people, or science and education (these are called journals).
Since the invention of radio wawes, there have been radio stations. Some are only
regional, some are national or even international. To listen to the radio, we need only a
receiver (we should pay a fee for it) and to know the frequency – number at which the station
broadcasts. There are various types of stations with various programming (type of news or
music played). Somebody likes listening to news and sport, somebody prefers music – and
can choose his favourite kind. Radio has also an important role in our safety, because by
public service announcement we can get emergency information about the traffic or weather.
The television combines both picture and sound. It is used for showing different types of
programs, it depends on the TV station. There are stations which broadcast general
information – it contains news, political debates, documentaries, movies, shows,
competitions, entertainment, sport and also some programs only for the adults. Of course,
advertisement is everywhere now. The other stations are specialized in only some topics,
many of them are international.
The benefit of TV is that we get a realistic picture of an event very easily, for many
people it is also a means of entertainment. However, compared with the newspaper, where
you can choose what to read and what not, on TV you don’t have this choice. Watching TV
could be also harmful – children behave violently after they watch an action movie, and some
people (especially women who watch American soap operas) became unable to live in the real
life, because they love the fiction too much. Naturally, TV makes addiction, and it is bad for a
person, when he/she only watches instead of producing own activity, for example sport.
Moreover, it is not good for the eyes. The TV has a strong power which can be misused – it
can create false expectations about the life, political parties may get people who favour them.
Actually, also this is part and parcel of television.
The most modern type of mass media is called the Internet. It is a system of computers
connected with eachother, where can you find whatever are you looking for. At any time
anywhere in the world. There is an uncountable amount of pages of various types. You need a
computer and a connection to the Internet. People use the Internet for sending e-mails,
discussing topics, finding information, reading Internet news, buying and selling products, or
for entertainment. Today, many companies are connected to it to get customers, to advertise,
or just to keep in touch with the others.
I am not a person who needs to know everything what is happening in the universe, so I
use media less than an average person. I never buy newspaper, because I don’t find it
interesting enough and there is usually a newspaper at home, anyway. Sometimes I buy a
magazine – a specialized one, I am interested in railway and there are many railway
magazines, some are even delivered into my post box.
I listen to radio only because of music, I find radio news and sport commentaries rather
unattractive. Sometimes I have to listen to a news station when travelling by car with my
father, which is unbearable. I don’t like TV much, I thing I could do more interesting and
creative activities, but I have a number of favourite movies and TV competitions, so I watch it
about three times a week.
The media I use the most is the Internet. Almost every evening I connect my computer
to it and send e-mails, look for information (especially now before maturita) or just explore
new places and look at interesting pages. I also send some photographs on Internet galleries,
so we can say that I contribute to the Internet. And some time I spend on the chat, where I can
discuss something with my friends or make new ones.