The Death of News? The End of the Newspaper is Nigh! The first ever titled newspaper, Corante, was published in London in the year 1621. In fact, the printed newspaper has been a successful business model for over 300 years. However, now with Internet news sites and blogs, the traditional print newspaper is under threat. In December 2008, Tribune Company, owner of the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and the Baltimore Sun and other dailies, went bankrupt. It is one of many broadsheet and tabloid newspapers that have recently experienced financial difficulties. In the U.S. it is estimated that 20% of newspaper journalist jobs have been lost since 2001. According to experts, about two-thirds of local newspapers in Britain will have disappeared by 2013. Another recent survey suggests just 19% of 18- to-34-year-olds read a newspaper every day. In contrast, 37% watch local TV news and 44% visit Internet news sites daily. Although people buy less newspapers, online news and blogs, are increasingly popular. There are many sites online to get your news. But are these new alternative news sources trustworthy? Only real news companies can afford to hire real journalists to do real journalism. Other news sources simply report the news that the big papers investigate. Equally, blogs are always personal comment on the news, so are always biased. So, ultimately, yes, traditional newspapers are in trouble. But is it the death of news? The short answer is no. Nevertheless, newspapers do need to use new technology creatively and find new ways to make money in order to survive. Preparatory Reading 1. What news company went bankrupt? 2. Why are newspapers in financial difficulty? 3. What do the numbers refer to: 300!!! 20%!!! two-thirds!! 19%!!! 37%!!! 44%!!!! 5. Use words from the article to complete the following sentences I like to read on the web. I write for a newspaper. I m a. This newspaper is to the left. newspapers have too much sport and gossip. newspapers contain more serious news analysis. 6. What is your favorite way to get the news?
A - Discussion Questions: Talk with your partner 1. Are you interested in the news? 2. Did you read the news headlines today? What were they? 3. How do you usually find out the news? B - Mingling Activity: Stand up and ask questions of your classmates Ask questions to your classmates. If your classmate answers Yes write his or her name and ask some more questions. Name Find someone who... Details often reads a newspaper gets the news online trusts the news media enjoys watching TV news has a favorite news source would like to be a journalist likes to read celebrity news reads the news in English C - Vocabulary: Match the words to their meaning 1. (n) tabloid!!! a. a more expensive large serious newspaper 2. (n) articles!!! b. the title of a newspaper story 3. (n) headlines!!! c. a person who writes for a newspaper 4. (n) broadsheet!!! d. a person who takes photos of celebrities 5. (n) journalists!!! e. talking about other people 6. (n) paparazzi!!! f. one-sided, unbalanced 7. (n) gossip!!! g. stories written for newspapers or magazines 8. (n) biased!!! h. a cheap small newspaper with a lot of sports and gossip
C - Conversation: Use the words to fill the gaps Ask your partner these questions. Don t forget to ask follow up questions to make your conversation interesting. tabloid articles headlines broadsheet journalists paparazzi gossip biased DAVID: Why do you read that rubbish? IZUMI: What? It s just a newspaper. DAVID: Yeah, but it s a rag. It s full of trash about TV celebrities and sports. In my opinion, there s no real news in it. And it s so too. They only ever tell one side of the story. Why don t you read a quality? IZUMI: I like it. Personally, I think the broadsheets are so dull. This is fun. It s just a laugh, isn t it? I like all the columns and the pictures. I don t take it too seriously. DAVID: But the news should be serious! If you ask me, newspapers should be full of real news written by real. All the are so badly written. And all the are so stupid! Look at this one: ALIENS ATE MY HAMSTER. What nonsense! IZUMI: OK. Where do you get your news, then? DAVID: I watch the BBC news on TV and I check the news online every morning. There are some great online newspapers nowadays. And of course they re free. You should check them out. IZUMI: No, thanks. A newspaper is still cheaper than the Internet. And I can read the paper while I eat my cereal. Comprehension Questions 1. What kind of newspaper is Izumi reading? 2. What does David think of it? 3. Why does Izumi read it? 4. Where does David get the news? Personalization Questions 1. Where do you get your news? 2. What do you think of tabloids? 3. What news sources do you think are biased? 4. What do you check online??
D - Language Focus: - Direct / Reported Speech Direct Speech Is the war over? asked the reporter. The war is finally over, said the president. Reported Speech The reporter asked if the war was over. The president said (that) the war was finally over. When did you hear the news? he asked. He asked her when she had heard the news. I heard it last night, she told him. She told him (that) she had heard it last night. Note: In reported speech you should change the tense of the verb into past tense. Eg. Present tense becomes past tense. Past simple or present perfect become past perfect tense. 1 Change the brief conversations into reported speech. 1. Do you enjoy being a student? Yes, I do He asked me. I told him that. 2. Is your apartment very big? No, it isn t He asked me. I told him that. 3. Did you go on vacation this year? Yes, I did. He asked me. I replied that. 4. Where do you live now? I live in London. He asked me. I replied that. 2 5. What did you do last night? I watched TV. He asked me. I replied that. Now ask these questions to your partner. Make a note of your partner s answers. Then report the questions and answers to a new partner. Eg. I asked him if his apartment was very big. He told me that his apartment was not big.
E - Express Yourself Asking for Opinions!!! Expressing Opinions What do you think, Kento?!! Personally, I think... Do you have an opinion on this?!! In my opinion... Do you have anything to add, Rajiv?! If you ask me...!!!!!! It seems to me that... Note: When you give an opinion, you should always try to give some support to make your opinion stronger. Be clear and direct. 1 2 Write Underline the phrases for giving opinions in this extract. Yesterday I read an article in The Japan Times about student tuition fees. According to the article students will get help from the government to pay their fees. In my opinion students should pay for their own education. Personally, I think if they can t pay then their parents should save some money to pay. Or students should get a job and save some money before going to college if you ask me. It seems to me that students will appreciate their education more if they pay for it themselves. some support sentences for these opinions. Then explain your opinion to your partner. 3 The Internet is a better news source You should watch the news or read a than newspapers. newspaper every day. 1.. 1.. 2.. 2.. 3.. 3.. Write whether you agree or disagree with each comment. Then discuss in your group: Yes I agree. In my opinion... No, I disagree. Personally, I think... Yes. Absolutely! I think... No. I don t see it that way. In my opinion... Exactly! If you ask me... No way. That s not true. It seems to me... 1. TV news is often biased. 2. The news is so depressing. 3. The news never shows the truth. 4. I don t like to watch the news.
Final Discussion 1. What did you think of the topics in this unit? 2. What new words have you learned? 3. What would you like to study further? Project Work Prepare a presentation on this topic: A News Story. Go to http://college-englishmag.com to print the presentation preparation worksheet. Review News Crossword 1 2 Read the clues to solve the puzzle. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17! IN THIS UNIT YOU: 1. talked about news 2. reviewed present perfect tense 3. practiced expressing opinions At http://www.college-englishmag.com you can find plenty more exercises and activities to practice this English. Across 1. Takes pictures of celebrities. 3. Can be trusted. 9. An online journal or weblog. 10., I think newspapers are the best place to get the news. 13. I like to get my news on my favorite websites. 15. A word for newspapers, magazines, TV, movies etc. 16. Some stories in newspapers are so silly - they're just. 17. Celebrity news. Down 2. Newspaper or magazine story. 4. Trash. 5. In my, the news is often not to be trusted. 6. A more serious 'quality' newspaper. 7. Someone who writes for a newspaper. 8. A small, cheap newspaper with a lot of sports and gossip. 11. The title of a newspaper story. 12. One-sided, unfair or unbalanced. 14. Slang term for a poor quality newspaper.