Media questions ask where we get our news, whether online information can be trusted and what will happen to newspapers. In Uzbekistan, Telegram channels are an especially important news source: that local example makes your answer stand out.
Part 3 questions on this topic
Where do most people get their news these days?
Can people trust the news they read online?
Do the media have too much influence on public opinion?
Should children be protected from violent news?
Will newspapers disappear completely?
Is it important to read news from other countries?
Model answers (aimed at band 7+)
Where do most people get their news these days?
For people my age, it's mostly Telegram channels and Instagram rather than TV or newspapers. In Uzbekistan Telegram is especially important: almost every news outlet has a channel, so people read headlines on their phones throughout the day. Older people still tend to watch the evening news on TV, though.
Can people trust the news they read online?
Only to a certain extent. Online news is fast, but speed often comes at the cost of accuracy, and anyone can create a channel that looks professional. I think people need to check where a story comes from, and ideally see it confirmed by two or three reliable sources before they believe it.
Do the media have too much influence on public opinion?
I'd say so, mainly through what they choose to cover. The media don't usually tell people what to think, but they do decide what people think about. If a story is covered every day for a week, everyone discusses it, while equally important issues are quietly ignored.
Will newspapers disappear completely?
Printed newspapers probably will, at least as a daily habit, since almost nobody under thirty buys one now. But I don't think journalism itself will disappear. Serious reporting will simply move online, and people may end up paying for subscriptions, the way they already pay for music and films.
Useful words and phrases
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| a news outlet | a news outlet |
| headlines | headlines |
| at the cost of accuracy | at the cost of accuracy |
| reliable sources | reliable sources |
| cover a story | cover a story |
| misinformation | misinformation |
| public opinion | public opinion |
| a subscription | a subscription |
How to answer
- Open with a position, then add a reason, an example and the other side.
- Hedge instead of making absolute claims: "I'd say", "to some extent", "it's likely that".
- Give a local example: Telegram channels, and the gap between young and older people.
- Split a prediction into parts: "printed newspapers probably will... but journalism itself...".
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The Part 3 answer shape and hedging language: the Part 3 guide. Useful phrases: 40 phrases.
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