JOURNALISM AND THE NEWS

NEWS IN THE AGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

I. LEAD-IN
 What’s on the news?
 Think of five events that have been on the news most recently, both in Poland and abroad. When
you are ready, discuss the news items in pairs.

II. HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR NEWS – DAMON BROWN

www.ed.ted.com
With the advent of the Internet and social media, news is distributed at an incredible rate by an unprecedented
number of different media outlets. How do we choose which news to consume? Damon Brown gives the insight
scoop on how the opinions and facts (and sometimes non-facts) make their way into the news and how the smart
reader can tell them apart.

TASK 1: In pairs, answer the following questions.

1. Where do you usually read or watch the news? Newspapers? Social media? Online news?
2. What are the main sources for news in your country? What is your opinion about each of those sources?
3. How much do you trust your news sources? What steps if any do you take to make sure you are getting a true
and full picture of current events?
4. Which sources of news do you not use and why?

TASK 2: Focus on vocabulary

PART 1: Match the vocabulary to the definitions.

1. assassination (n) a. the reporting of a particular event or topic
2. undermine (v) b. a murder by a sudden or secret attack usually for political reasons
3. coverage (n) c. information passed between people which is often modified in the process
4. accusation (n) d. being not obliged to report to another authority
5. refute (v) e. to carefully choose a number of things for presentation
6. rumour (n) f. to make something weaker or less effective
7. unaccountable (adj.) g. to show that something is incorrect or not true
8. curate (v) h. people who present a news programme
9. newscasters (n) i. giving the idea that something is true when it isn't, or the opposite
10. misleading (adj) j. a statement that someone acted wrongly or illegally

Translate the words into Polish

1. assassination (n) _________________________
2. undermine (v) _________________________
3. coverage (n) _________________________
4. accusation (n) _________________________
5. refute (v) _________________________
6. rumour (n) _________________________
7. unaccountable (adj.) _________________________
8. curate (v) _________________________
9. newscaster (n) _________________________
10. misleading (adj) _________________________

II. JOURNALISM AND THE NEWS Page 1

PART 2: Read the following sentences and, in pairs, discuss what you think the vocabulary in bold means.
1. The newspaper published a report suggesting that the government was involved in a number of covert wars
in Africa and the Middle East.
2. The journalist was advised not to write a story which went against the official narrative of events.
3. The only way to get the news while I was growing up was from mainstream sources.
4. If we're writing a news article about Latin America, we're often forced to use middlemen as we don't have an
office in that part of the world.
5. I was present at the demonstrations, so it was interesting to read the polished versions of events afterwards.
6. While we take great care with our material, it's virtually impossible to completely remove all media bias.
7. I started this blog as a way to provide an alternative to the traditional media gatekeepers.
8. We did as much preparation for it as possible, but at some point, you have to take the plunge.

TASK 3 – In pairs, try to predict the answers to the following questions. Then, watch the video clip and take
notes.

1. What undermined the trust in mainstream media?

2. What problems does the increase in media sources cause?

3. What, according to the video, is a good way to get to the truth?

4. Which is the best way to stay informed about ongoing events?

5. What shouldn't news reports contain?

6. What should you do before sharing news on social media?

TASK 4 – Discuss
1. Do you think the media creates reality? Or does the media talk about what's going on? Or both?
2. Can you give an example of a news story which was reported in different ways by different sources?
What did they say? Why were their versions different?
3. What is your opinion of the so-called “citizen journalism”? What are some of the positives and
negatives of citizen journalism?

II. JOURNALISM AND THE NEWS Page 2

TASK 5 - Watch the video clip again and fill in the missing words

How do you know what’s happening in your world? The amount of information just a click away may be
limitless, but the time and energy we have to absorb and evaluate it is not. All the information in the world
won’t be very useful unless you know how to read the news. To your grandparents, parents, or even older
siblings, this idea would have sounded strange. Only a few decades ago news was broad-based. Your
choices were limited to a couple of general interest magazines and newspapers of record and three or four
(1)____________________ where the trusted (2)____________________ delivered the day’s news at the
same reliable time every evening. But the problems with this system soon became apparent as mass media
spread. While it was known that authoritarian countries controlled and (3)____________________
information a series of scandals showed that democratic governments were also
(4)____________________ the public, often with media cooperation. Revelations of covert wars, secret
assassinations, and political corruption undermined public faith in official narratives presented by
(5)___________________ sources. This breakdown of trust in media gatekeepers led to alternative
newspapers, radio shows, and cable news competing with the major (6)____________________ and
covering events from various perspectives. More recently, the Internet has multiplied the amount of
information and viewpoints with social media, blogs and online video turning every citizen into a potential
reporter. But if everyone is a reporter, nobody is, and different sources may disagree not only on opinions,
but on the facts themselves. So, how do you get the truth, or something close? One of the best ways is to
get the original news unfiltered by middlemen. Instead of articles interpreting a scientific study or a
politician’s speech, you can often find the actual material and judge for yourself. For
(7)____________________ events, follow reporters on social media. During major events, such as the Arab
Spring, or the Ukrainian protests, newscasters and bloggers have posted (8)____________________ and
recordings from the midst of the chaos. Though many of these later appear in articles or
(9)____________________, keep in mind that these polished versions often combine the voice of the
person who was there with the input of editors who weren’t. At the same time, the more chaotic the story,
the less you should try to follow it in real time. In events like terrorist attacks and natural disasters, today’s
media attempts continuous (10)____________________ even when no reliable new information is
available, sometimes leading to incorrect information or false accusations of innocent people. It’s easy to
be anxious in such events, but try checking for the latest information at several points in the day, rather
than every few minutes, allowing time for complete details to emerge and false reports to be
(11)____________________. While good journalism aims for objectivity, media
(12)____________________is often unavoidable. When you can’t get the direct story, read coverage in
multiple outlets which employ different reporters and interview different experts. Tuning in to various
sources and noting the differences lets you put the pieces together for a more complete picture. It’s also
crucial to separate fact from opinion. Words like think, likely or probably mean that the outlet is being
careful or, worse, taking a guess. And watch out for reports that rely on (13)____________________
sources. These could be people who have little connection to the story, or have an interest in influencing
coverage, their anonymity making them unaccountable for the information they provide. Finally, and most
importantly, try to verify the news before spreading it. While social media has enabled the truth to reach us
faster, it’s also allowed (14)____________________to spread before they can be verified and
(15)____________________ to survive long after they’ve been refuted. So, before you share that
unbelievable or outrageous news item, do a web search to find any additional information or context you
might have missed, and what others are saying about it. Today, we are more free than ever from the old
media gatekeepers who used to control the (16)____________________ of information. But with freedom
comes responsibility: the responsibility to curate our own experience and ensure that this flow does not
become a flood, leaving us less informed than before we took the plunge.

II. JOURNALISM AND THE NEWS Page 3

III. WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY – FAKE NEWS

While social media has enabled the truth to reach us faster, it’s also allowed rumours to spread before
they can be verified and falsehoods to survive long after they’ve been refuted.

Lead-in - Watch the video clip about the need of diligence when sharing news.
www.youtube (Cancel Glove and Boots)
(700) #CancelGloveandBoots - YouTube

Apart from disseminating information without context, what other ways of manipulating the truth have you
heard of?

TASK 1 - Below is a summary of a BBC video about fake news. Before you watch it, try to complete the text
with the words from the list. Then watch the video and check your answers.

(700) The rise of 'fake news', manipulation and 'alternative facts' - BBC Newsnight - YouTube (4:27)

altered call out composite damaging debunked mapped facial typing

New technologies make it possible to manipulate people’s voices and their facial expressions and modulate
their speech. For example, Face2Face – a project designed by Stanford University, the Max Planck Institute
and the University of Erlangen, Nuremberg – allows 1______________ expressions of one person to be
2_______________ onto the features of another person in real time. Fake photos have been around for
decades. Sometimes they are used to discredit people, like the one showing John Kerry supposedly sharing
the stage with Vietnam protester Jane Fonda. What turned out to be a 3_______________ of two images
proved to be hugely 4______________ for John Kerry. “Voco” is an audio editing and generating
application designed by Adobe. Loaded with just 20 minutes of real sample voice, it can then make
someone say anything just by 5_______________ it in. Although Adobe says the 6_______________ audio
will be watermarked so the fakes are easy to spot, that may not stop it from spreading. The things that we
see as fake news or false stories are easily 7______________ in a matter of seconds, but it doesn’t
necessarily stop them from spreading. This is because of the virality created online, but also because
people believe what they want to believe. When there is a high level of distrust in stories and institutions,
the term “fake news” can be used by anyone who wants to 8_______________ something they don’t like
and spread doubt about whether it is true or not.

Discuss with a partner the vocabulary you have filled in and translate it into Polish.

altered - ___________________ debunked - ___________________

call out - ___________________ facial - ___________________

composite - ___________________ mapped - ___________________

damaging - ___________________ typing - ___________________

II. JOURNALISM AND THE NEWS Page 4

TASK 2 – Watch the video about deepfakes and answer the questions.

(700) Could deepfakes weaken democracy? - YouTube (5:50)

1. What are deepfakes?

2. How could deepfakes weaken democracy?
3. What can be done to fight back?

TASK 3 - Discuss the statements:

– It should be illegal to publish fake news.

– Politicians have always lied and „fake news” is nothing new.

TASK 4 - Read the guidelines to news literacy. In each numbered paragraph underline the key idea or words.
Compare and discuss the underlined words and ideas with your partner.
http://www.newsday.com/opinion/7-ways-to-spot-and-debunk-fake-news-1.12695382

Fake news sews uncertainty and disquiet in society. Just look at the renewed spread of childhood diseases
in the wake of the anti-vaccination movement. Here are seven ways to spot fake news and break the cycle
created when we uncritically share it:

1. Stop! How do you know it is true? What’s the evidence? Remember, the more outrageous the story, the
higher the bar should be before you trust or share anything on social media.

2. Check whether the story actually supports the headline, and beware of headlines all in capital letters.

3. Always ask, “Says who?” We tell children not to take candy from strangers. Well, don’t take information
from strangers. Who is responsible for the story? Is it a known journalist or news outlet? If not, how many
friends, followers does the source have? What have they posted in the past?

4. If you follow a link to a website, do all the links seen there work? What does the “About Us” page say?
When was the information updated?

5. Check whether fact-checking websites such as Snopes.com or FactCheck.org have investigated the
information, or just type the claim into a Google search and add the word “hoax.”

6. Cut and paste images into reverse search engines like TinEye.com. Startling images often are not fake,
but rather have appeared before in a different context.

7. Beware of stories that come from people you trust — even from your friends and relatives. Don’t
confuse the sender with the source of the information.

The latest communications revolution has been a tremendous force for good because it has put the power
to publish in the hands of everyone. But remember what Uncle Ben told Peter Parker in “Spiderman”:
“With great power comes great responsibility.” The power to stop fake news exists in all of us.
Richard Hornik, a former editor and correspondent for Time magazine, teaches news literacy at Stony Brook University.

TASK 5 - Cover the text. How many pieces of advice can you remember

II. JOURNALISM AND THE NEWS Page 5

IV. MEDIA ETHICS

The 5 core values of journalism – www.youtube.com

(726) Ethics 101: The 5 Core Values of Journalism - YouTube (2:54)

The EJN (Ethical Journalism Network) Director describes the five values which are the foundation of ethical
journalism.

TASK 1 - Watch the video clip. Write down the 5 values and make a short note about each of them.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

TASK 2 - Discuss
1. Do you think mainstream media journalists follow these rules?
2. Do you agree with the opinion that it is impossible for the media to remain impartial when the
public is biased?

V. PRESS FREEDOM: WHY YOU SHOULD BE WORRIED?

(690) Press freedom: why you should be worried - YouTube (17:44)

Global press freedom is facing its greatest challenge in decades – not just in authoritarian countries, but in
democracies too. Governments are using various tactics to muzzle the media. What's going on and why is it
so worrying?

TASK 1 – Match the words to the definitions

1. harassment (n) a. to become worse

2. muzzle (v) b. use of one’s official position for private gains
3. abuse (n, v) c. fair, and not influenced by your own or somebody else's opinions
4. discredit (v) d. to stop somebody from expressing independent opinions
5. scrutiny (n) e. the act of damaging somebody's reputation by saying bad or false
things about them
6. deteriorate (v) f. the action of preventing information from being seen or made
available to the public, often for political reasons
7. defamation (n) g. careful and complete examination
8. censorship (n) h. to make people stop respecting somebody or something
9. unbiased (adj) i. behaviour that is harmful or morally wrong
10. corruption (n) j. behaviour that is unwelcomed and annoying and which is usually repetitive

II. JOURNALISM AND THE NEWS Page 6

Translate the words into Polish
1. harassment (n) _________________________

2. muzzle (v) _________________________

3. abuse (n, v) _________________________

4. discredit (v) _________________________

5. scrutiny (n) _________________________

6. deteriorate (v) _________________________

7. defamation (n) _________________________

8. censorship (n) _________________________

9. unbiased (adj) _________________________

10. corruption (n) _________________________

TASK 2 – Cover the words in the previous exercise. Complete the following sentences with a form of the
word in CAPITAL LETTERS.

1. The survey shows that the children's health is _________________DETERIORATE in many areas.
2. Some websites are subject to government ________________ CENSOR.
3. The allegations of ________________ CORRUPT among high-ranking government officials proved
false.
4. Sadly, in today's world, there's no such thing as an _________________ BIAS newspaper.
5. The photos were deliberately taken to ________________ CREDIT the president.
6. He brought a legal action against the magazine for _______________ DEFAME of character.
7. The documents should be available for public ________________ SCRUTINIZE.

TASK 3 – What tactics do governments use to muzzle the media?

Watch the video and take notes so that you can describe the situation in different countries:
– India

– Malta

– Hungary

II. JOURNALISM AND THE NEWS Page 7

TASK 4 – Watch a short part of the video again and take notes to answer the questions. (8:16 – 11:20)

1. What are SLAPPs?

2. How do governments use SLAPPs to intimidate journalists?

TASK 5 – Discuss what you have seen. Are you optimistic or pessimistic about the future of media?

LANGUAGE WORK

I. Change the form of the word in brackets so that it fits in the context
1. Appearances can be ____________________. (DECEIVE)
2. Sexual ____________________ in a workplace is not a trivial matter. (HARASS)
3. We need to employ a ____________________ for our company. (SPEAK)
4. It’s not that the public has been given ____________________, just incomplete information.
(INFORM)
5. If you need regular ____________________ on these issues, you need to let me know. (DATE)
6. Some major newspapers follow the government line and tend to report ____________________
on the activities of the President. (CRITICIZE)
7. Some of the information on the website was dangerously ____________________. (LEAD)
8. The state must ensure the independence and ___________________ of the justice system. (PARTIAL)
9. The author of the article and the newspaper editor were fined for the ____________________ . (FAME)
10. Your information is ____________________ - he was born in 1956, not 1965. (ACCURACY)

II. Create collocations

speech, journalism, outlet, discourse, your mistakes, news, events, the public

1. follow _______________ 1. media _______________

2. admit _______________ 2. hate _______________

3. mislead _______________ 3. political _______________

4. current _______________

5. citizen _______________

II. JOURNALISM AND THE NEWS Page 8

 III. Translate the words in brackets so that they fit the sentence.
1. His version of events was captivating and inspiring but not very __________ (dokładny).
2. If you feel that your public standing has been diminished by this article, you can always sue the
newspaper for ____________ (zniesławienie).
3. The aid operations in Africa have been considerably ____________ (zmniejszone) in the last decade.
4. There is a lot of jargon used in our ____________ (pokój redakcji informacyjnej), but it is easy to get
used to it with time.
5. The new law will bring greater _________________ (przejrzystość) to the way the funds are
distributed.
6. On behalf of the president, the chancellor _____________ (odeprzeć) all charges of
mismanagement.
7. Our newspaper does not have any political ____________ (stronniczość) whatsoever.
8. It is easy to ____________ (zastraszyć) the employees when they have no other way of earning their
living.
9. The manager was arrested for using a bomb ________ (oszustwo) to empty the rival restaurant.
10. Even though the _____________ (nakład) was down 4 percent, the magazine was still the market
leader.

III. Translate into Polish

1. While it was known that authoritarian countries controlled and censored information, a series of
scandals showed that that democratic governments were also misleading the public, often with
media cooperation.

2. The more chaotic the story, the less you should try to follow it in real time. In events like
terrorist attacks and natural disasters, today’s media attempts continuous coverage even if no
reliable information is available, sometimes leading to incorrect information or false accusations
of innocent people.

3. Much of the advertising revenue in Hungary comes from the government. By not placing adverts with
independent media companies the government has been able to destroy their income and drive some of
them into bankruptcy.

II. JOURNALISM AND THE NEWS Page 9

VOCABULARY LIST

abuse (n) – zniewaga, wykorzystywanie, znęcanie się to abuse – znęcać się, maltretować

accountability – odpowiedzialność accountable to sb for sth – odpowiedzialny przed kimś za coś

accuracy – dokładność, precyzyjność accurate – dokładny, precyzyjny inaccurate - niedokładny

admit your mistakes – przyznać się do błędów
alter - zmieniać
anonymous – anonimowy anonymity – anonimowość
be a spokesman for the government – być rzecznikiem rządu
bias – stronniczość, tendencyjność, uprzedzenie biased – stronniczy, uprzedzony unbiased - bezstronny
breaking news – wiadomości z ostatniej chwili
broadcast – audycja, program (radio, tv)
censor – ocenzurować censorship – cenzura
circulation – nakład
citizen journalism – dziennikarstwo obywatelskie
code of conduct – zasady postępowania
cover – zdawać relację (cover an event, cover a story) coverage – relacja, sprawozdanie
current events – wydarzenia bieżące
deceptive – oszukańczy, mylny deceive – oszukiwać
defame – zniesławiać, oczerniać defamation – zniesławienie, oszczerstwo
deliver the news – dostarczać wiadomości
discredit - dyskredytować
downsize – redukować (np. zatrudnienie)
editor – redaktor naczelny
fake news – fałszywe informacje
falsehood – fałsz, kłamstwo
flow of information – przepływ informacji
follow the news – śledzić wiadomości
follower – stronnik, zwolennik
hate speech – mowa nienawiści
harass – molestować, przesladować harassment – molestowanie, przesladowanie
hoax – oszustwo, kaczka dziennikarska
impartiality – bezstronność impartial – bezstronny partial - stronniczy
independence – niezależność independent – niezależny
intimidate – zastraszać, onieśmielać intimidation - zastraszanie
mainstream – główne, dominujące (maistream media, mainstream sources)
media outlet – środek masowego przekazu
misinformation – dezinformacja, mylna informacja
mislead the public – wprowadzać w błąd opinię publiczną misleading – mylący, wpowadzajacy w bład
newscaster – prezenter wiadomości
newsroom – pokój redakcji informacyjnej
on behalf of – w imieniu (czyimś)
political discourse – dyskurs polityczny
refute – obalać (teorię), wykazać fałszywość
rumors (AE)– plotki rumours (BE)
spread the news – roznosić, rozprzestrzeniać, szerzyć wiadomości
transparency – przejrzystość
tv network – sieć telewizyjna
uncritically – bezkrytycznie
undermine - podważać
II. JOURNALISM AND THE NEWS Page 10
updates – ostatnie doniesienia, wieści z ostatniej chwili
verify the news – weryfikować wiadomości

II. JOURNALISM AND THE NEWS Page 11