1. Do you often read newspapers?
Yes, I have a habit of reading newspapers each day. My day seems incomplete without reading the daily
newspaper.
C/2 Yes. I read newspapers every day. I enjoy reading them on my phone or maybe my laptop because
they are really convenient and the news is updated every day. Some people still like reading hard copies,
but they are made from cutting trees, so I see, as an environmentalist, I really don't prefer that.
2. Which do you prefer reading, magazines or newspapers?
Well, I prefer to read both newspapers and magazines as newspapers have some important information
related to national and international issues. On the other hand, magazines have some useful tips which
can be helpful to me in daily activities like preparing, cooking, managing household items and some
interesting stories to read.
3. What kinds of (types of) newspapers (or magazines) do you usually read?
Mostly political news, but I also take an interest in crime news or scientific news. The only type of news
that I'm not fond of is entertainment. I find it to be a waste of my time.
4. How old were you when you first started to read newspapers?
I guess I was around 12 years old and during my summer break, our school gave a project of reading
newspapers each day and finding out at least five main headlines. That was the time when I first started
to read newspapers.
5. Do you think it’s important to read newspapers? (Why?/Why not?)
It is very beneficial to read newspapers as it enhances our local and geographical knowledge. It has also
increased our reading skills as many newspapers provide the lexical word of resource to attract the
readers.
6. Why do (you think) people read newspapers?
I think that people read newspapers to expand their knowledge and to remain well informed about their
surroundings.
7. What different types of newspapers are there in India?
In India, there are separate newspapers for business and general information. Also, these newspapers
dedicate special pages to sports and entertainment sectors.
8. Do you care about the news?
Yes, I care about the news as I like to know about the changes happening in the different sectors of the
world. It helps me to stay in touch with the new technologies and prospects of the world.
9. What kinds of news do Indian people read in newspapers?
In My opinion, it depends upon gender-wise, like youth always loved sports and entertainment while old
people demand devotional and political news in India.
10. Do you prefer to read about domestic (or local) news or international news? (Why?)
I give equal importance to both domestic and international news as I think both are important to
progress along with one’s own nation as it has a direct impact on our lives and international news helps
in broadening my horizons and knowledge.
11. What are some methods that newspapers use to attract readers?
Newspapers use catchy and controversial headlines to attract readers. In some news such as sports and
entertainment, they also emphasize printing pictures to catch the attention of the readers.
12. What influence do you think newspapers have on society?
I think newspapers act as a binding force to unite society by bringing them together and informing them
about everything. They play an important role in forming the perspective of society and its people.
13. Do you think the Internet is a good way to get news?
Yes, with the changing times, the internet is playing a crucial role in providing access to the news every
minute. It is the fastest medium that gives news even before the newspaper and many people,
especially youngsters rely on the internet
14. Which is more popular where you live, newspapers or magazines?
I would say that these two share equal popularity in Vietnam. Newspaper, although may be a little bit
old-fashioned, is still the main source of daily news for adults, especially among senior citizens. On the
other hand, magazines are becoming increasingly appealing to young people for their attractive visuals
nd interesting columns
15. Do you think newspapers will be very important to you in the future?
I think it depends. Since the development of technology never seems to come to a halt, I strongly
believe that I will choose e- newspapers over the traditional edition. Besides the obvious convenience
that e- news can offer, I'm drawn to the fact that it's much cheaper and more reliable.
16. How do you usually get your news?
I usually read online newspapers to keep myself updated. There are several sites on the Internet which
offer lots of free content to read and they get updated really frequently. That's why I much prefer online
news to physical newspapers.
17. How do most people get the news in your country?
It depends on the age group we're talking about. I mean, older people tend to stick to physical
newspapers because they're so used to reading news that way. In contrast, younger people use the
Internet all the time so they are naturally inclined to read news online as well.
18. Do you think international news is important?
Of course, it is important to know what is happening to different countries. It serves self-awareness, and
you can learn something from them. For example, COVID 19 pandemic happened in Vu Han and
acknowledged how dangerous it is. Keeping your food and social distance wherever you are outside is of
great essence to prevent the transmission of this virus.
19. Do many people today read newspapers?
Yes. I think the majority of older generations do read newspapers because they still prefer touching the
newspapers, the papers. And they also don't like, or they are not used to using gadgets. And on the
other hand, teenagers or the young generation like me like using phones and laptops to read
newspapers because it's really convenient and fast.
20. Have you ever read a newspaper or magazine in a foreign language? [When/Why?]
Yes, I’ve tried to read newspapers written in English several times during high school, because my
English teacher recommended that we should immerse ourselves in English by reading more news and
books in English. And I found that this method really helps me to advance my English skill as I could pick
up a range of new vocabulary and phrases from all the articles.
21. Do you think reading a newspaper or magazine in a foreign language is a good way to learn the
language? [Why / Why not?]
Yes, but it depends on your language level. If you are just beginning to learn the language then it can be
very difficult and frustrating – certainly not the best way to try and learn a foreign language – but as you
progress and develop your vocabulary it is a good way to learn expressions and phrases related to
common topics in the news and current affairs, or related to a specific topic in the case of magazines.
22. What kinds of articles are you most interested in? [Why?]
Answer: I like to read travel-related articles most because they allow me to learn about different
interesting places in the world along with the cultures, traditions, and lifestyles of the people who live in
those places. I also like to read articles on computer technology because I like to play with my
computers some times.
Part 2: Describe a magazine or newspaper that you like to (or, often) read
You should say:
what magazine or newspaper it is
what the magazine or newspaper is about
how often you read it
what kinds of people generally read this magazine or newspaper
and explain why you like to read it.
To be honest, I don’t read magazines much these days, but I still read the one called Vietraveler, which is
a tourism magazine.
The magazine contains all that we need to know in terms of traveling, such as reviews of numerous
famous destinations, tips to save money when traveling or what we need to prepare for a trip. Besides,
at the back of the magazine, there are a few discount coupons for some particular domestic tours which
are run by tourist companies.
Always, when a new issue is published, I get it delivered to my house by post. Actually, I have been a
subscriber to this magazine for almost 5 years and I fully intend to carry on reading it. As all the
information in it is arranged logically, therefore, I find it quite easy to locate every article that interests
me. In addition, I highly appreciate the quality of the magazine’s contents. The attractiveness of the
glossy photos and the high standard of journalism are just two of its outstanding features.
As a final point, I would emphasize that I usually depend on this magazine to plan a good trip or suggest
one to my friends.
VOCABULARY
- Discount coupons: [n]: Phiếu giảm giá
Example: I cut the discount coupons out of the newspaper and used them to buy an Iphone at a reduced
price.
- Run (n): Chạy hoặc kiểu khởi động chương trình, cung cấp gì đó
Example: The school runs special courses for teenagers during the summer.
- Issue (n): Số tạp chí định kỳ
Example: In the last issue of the magazine, there is an article about restaurants in Hanoi.
- Subscriber (n): Số người đăng ký
Example: The number of subscribers to the magazine has now reached 10,000.
- Fully intend to: Chuẩn bị kế hoạch làm gì đó
Example: If I don’t go on holiday this month, then I fully intend to take a holiday next month.
- Carry on: Tiếp tục
Example: Even if I pass the exam, I fully intend to carry on studying English to an advanced level.
- Glossy (adj): Mịn màng, sáng, đẹp
Example: The shiny paper used in glossy magazines is very expensive, so the magazines too are always
expensive.
- Outstanding (adj): Tốt, rất quan trọng
Example: The outstanding tourist attraction in New York is the Statue of Liberty.
Describe a magazine that you like to read.
You should say about:
- What its name is;
- What the magazine is about;
- How often you read it;
- and explain why you like to read it.
Answer
Well, as part of my daily routine, I am keen on reading newspapers and magazines daily. If I’ve got to
choose a magazine that I like the most, I would say ELLE Vietnam, which can be considered an
“encyclopedia” in fashion, style, interior design and travelling, especially for young people.
The first reason why I like it is the elegant style of this magazine. Honestly it has been a great inspiration
for me.
From the cover to the design, the images taken and the organization are so exquisite, and the content is
so informative and well-organized that I keep looking at the pages hundreds of times. Specifically, the
magazine has updated latest fashion trends from various brands, both local and foreign ones. “Style
guide” is my most favorite part in each issue of ELLE because it shows us how to mix and match different
items of clothing or accessories to have a good appearance.
Besides, the magazine is a “masterpiece” to me personally for being informative.
It has detailed and in-depth articles about fashion brands, designs, arts, sculpture, which provide a lot of
useful information. There are also interviews with celebrities in different fields and it’s fun reading them.
We can see other sides of them when they are not on stage. In addition, there are also articles about
healthcare and beauty, which is loved and read by many women.
As a final point, I would say that ELLE will forever be my favorite magazine!
Vocabulary
- Daily routine (n) /ˈdeɪ.li ruːˈtiːn/: thói quen hàng ngày
- Encyclopedia (n) /ɪnˌsaɪ.kləˈpiː.di.ə/: bách khoa thư
- Elegant (adj) /ˈel.ə.ɡənt/: thanh lịch
- Exquisite (adj) /ɪkˈskwɪz.ɪt/: lộng lẫy
- Fashion trend (n) / ˈfæʃ.ən trend/: xu hướng thời trang
- Items of clothing or accessories (n): quần áo/ phụ kiện
- Masterpiece (n) /ˈmæs.tɚ.piːs/: tuyệt tác
- In-depth (adj) /ˈɪn.depθ/ : có chiều sâu
- Healthcare (n) /ˈhelθ.ker/: chăm sóc sức khỏe
Structures
- St is a great inspiration for Sb: cái gì là nguồn cảm hứng lớn cho ai/ cái gì
Shakespeare’s works have been a great inspiration for me in my writing.
- To mix and match : phối đồ/ phụ kiện
My sister is an expert in mixing and matching items of clothing together.
Describe a piece of good news you heard on from TV or on the internet.
You should say:
What the news was about?
When you got this news?
Where you got this news from?
And explain why you think it was a good piece of news.
As you know, negative news seems to take front and center nowadays. So I was really delighted to come
across this positive news article. It was when I was looking up for some highlights from 2018 online and I
stumbled across some information that was so surprising.
Apparently, France is the leader for curbing food waste. And they have banned supermarkets from
throwing leftover food that is still usable or edible, and also, laws have been made for restaurants to
donate food waste. And if they don't comply to this law, they will face with a fine up to nearly 100,000
euros or maybe two years in prison.
Some people are still skeptical. They don't believe that people would follow this rule, but actually there
are changes already. And it seems that this change would probably solve world hunger. I really hope so
because this is a colossal problem now, and I hope that many countries would follow in France’s
footsteps.
(Như bạn biết đấy, ngày nay những tin tức tiêu cực dường như thu hút nhiều sự quan tâm hơn. Vì vậy
tôi thực sự rất vui khi bắt gặp bài báo tích cực này. Đó là khi, tôi đang tìm kiếm điểm tin nổi bật của năm
2018 trực tuyến và tôi tình cờ tìm thấy một số thông tin khá bất ngờ.
Nước Pháp quả thực là nước đi đầu trong việc hạn chế lãng phí thực phẩm. Và họ đã cấm các siêu thị
vứt thức ăn thừa mà vẫn có thể sử dụng được hoặc ăn được, và đã có điều luật được ban hành để các
nhà hàng quyên góp thức ăn thừa và nếu họ không tuân thủ luật này, họ sẽ phải chịu một khoản tiền
phạt từ lên đến gần 100.000 euro hoặc có thể là hai năm tù.
Một số người vẫn còn hoài nghi. Họ không tin rằng mọi người sẽ tuân theo điều luật mới này, nhưng
thực sự đã có những thay đổi. Và có vẻ như sự thay đổi này có thể giải quyết được nạn đói trên thế giới.
Tôi thực sự hy vọng như vậy bởi vì đây là một vấn đề lớn hiện nay, và tôi hy vọng rằng nhiều quốc gia
khác cũng sẽ hành động như Pháp.)
DESCRIBE A PIECE OF LOCAL NEWS THAT PEOPLE WERE INTERESTED IN CUE CARD
You should say:
What it was about
Where you saw/heard it
Who was involved
And explain why people were interested in it
I’m going to talk about a piece of news I got from my friend. He forwarded the news to Wechat
moments about two weeks ago. It was an posted by the city about building a new bicycle lane. Since I
have a great liking for cycling, I read the article really carefully.
It said that the new bike lane would be built in the newly developed Fuxin district. Actually, since I have
a friend who moved to the district last year, I’ve visited him and toured the area several times. It’s about
an hour drive from my home. It has a really good location because it’s next to a beautiful river in our
city, and there are many tourist attractions nearby.
Anyway, the long bike path will be built alongside the beautiful river. According to the news report, the
building of it will be completed next spring. I think this is terrific news for all of the residents in our city.
Just thinking about it, you can breathe in fresh air and enjoy the sparkling sun on the water while riding,
which would be fantastic. And when you get tired, you can just sit on the lawn nearby and enjoy soaking
up the sun. It’ll definitely be an excellent place to kick back and relax.
I read the comments under the news and everyone was happy about it. Apparently, we’re all looking
forward to seeing our city become more people-friendly.
Part 3:
1. How do the newspapers market themselves for increasing sales?
Newspapers use different strategies to boost up marketing. They publish advertisements on television
and display their banners on hoardings. Apart from this, they also advertise themselves on websites.
They have catchy slogans to attract mass number of people. Those newspapers which are quite new in
the market try to give discount offers to the public on purchase of the newspaper packages, while those
which are already established keep on retaining their customers through various plans and offers.
2. What kind of marketing practices do these newspapers use?
One of the effective marketing practices is to visit the people in their homes. Sales team goes door to
door for selling and marketing their newspapers. This works great for a newly launched newspaper.
Many newspapers such as Amar Ujala and Dainik Bhaskar used these practices when they started and
now, they have become quite popular newspapers across the country. Another successful strategy used
by newspapers is to offer gifts along with monthly subscription of their newspapers. They usually offer
utensils, appliances etc. to attract more and more people.
3. Do you think people will use the internet to read news online?
Absolutely, people would prefer to use the internet for reading news online especially through their
mobile applications. They are already using the internet to a much larger extent that they check for
weather updates, news updates and watch talk shows online on their computers or mobiles. In the
future also, this trend is likely to get widen.
C/2: Yes, of course, nowadays people really enjoy using the internet, not only for reading news but also
for other purposes. With the development of technology, we have many gadgets like phones, laptops,
and tablets. So it's really easy for us to find new information. And I think that this trend will develop very
strongly in the future.
4. Do you think newspapers manipulate real stores for increasing their sales?
Yes, it is possible that some newspapers may be altering real stories to make them look attractive and
pleasing to the readers. Some local newspapers may be publishing fake stories also. For example, it is
seen many a times that some editors publish rumours about celebrities or famous personalities just to
boost up their sales. When celebrities are then asked about such published stories, they completely
deny them. Just for the sake of publicity of their papers, they spread false news or rumours and this is
quite prevalent these days.
5. Do you believe everything you read in newspapers? (Bạn có tin tất cả những gì bạn đọc trên báo
không?)
Honestly, no. Because I always try to look for information or articles that come from reliable sources, for
example, mainstream newspapers that have authority or authenticity. You know, because the process of
gathering information nowadays is sometimes done hastily and irresponsibly? So, that's why we need to
carefully verify news and information because you never know when lies are hidden.
(Thành thật mà nói là không. Bởi vì, tôi luôn cố gắng tìm kiếm thông tin hoặc bài báo đến từ các nguồn
đáng tin cậy, ví dụ, các tờ báo chính thống có thẩm quyền hoặc tính xác thực, bạn biết đấy, bởi vì quá
trình thu thập thông tin ngày nay đôi khi được thực hiện qua loa và vô trách nhiệm. Vì vậy, đó là lý do tại
sao chúng ta cần xác minh thông tin và tin tức một cách cẩn thận bởi bạn không thể biết được khi nào
những lời nói dối được che giấu.).
6. What’s the influence of reading on people?
When it comes to the influence or benefits of reading, I can think of the two most important ones. First,
the ability to read opens the door to all aspects of education. Reading can really broaden our horizons
and update us on the up-to-the-minute news around the world. Besides, when we have to be faced with
countless issues in daily life, a well-written novel or an engaging article can let tensions drain away and
allow us to decompress.
broaden one’s horizons /həˈraɪ.zən/ (idiom): mở mang kiến thức
be faced with something: đối mặt
drain away /dreɪn/ (phrasal verb): biến mất
decompress /ˌdiː.kəmˈpres/ (verb): xả stress
Khi nói đến ảnh hưởng hoặc lợi ích của việc đọc, tôi có thể nghĩ đến hai điều quan trọng nhất. Thứ nhất,
khả năng đọc mở ra cánh cửa đến tất cả các khía cạnh của giáo dục. Đọc thực sự có thể mở rộng tầm
nhìn của chúng ta và cập nhật cho chúng ta những tin tức mới nhất trên khắp thế giới. Bên cạnh đó, khi
chúng ta phải đối mặt với vô số vấn đề trong cuộc sống hàng ngày, một cuốn tiểu thuyết hay hoặc một
bài báo hấp dẫn có thể khiến những căng thẳng biến mất và giúp chúng ta xả stress.
7. What’s the difference between a newspaper and a magazine?
Well, there are two main differences between these two sources of information. The first one is the
publication. A newspaper is generally published more often than a magazine. A newspaper is generally
published daily whereas a magazine is published either on a weekly, monthly or quarterly basis. Besides,
with regard to content, a newspaper usually contains a range of subjects from sports, cuisine, politics to
weather while a magazine focuses on a specific target group such as readers who are interested in a
healthy lifestyle and such like.
on a weekly/ monthly/ quarterly/ .. basis (adv): hàng tuần/ tháng/ quý/ ..
such like (noun): những thứ tương tự thế
Có hai điểm khác biệt chính giữa hai nguồn thông tin này. Điểm đầu tiên là xuất bản. Báo thường được
xuất bản thường xuyên hơn tạp chí. Một tờ báo thường được xuất bản hàng ngày trong khi một tờ tạp
chí được xuất bản hàng tuần, hàng tháng hoặc hàng quý. Bên cạnh đó, về nội dung, một tờ báo thường
có nhiều chủ đề từ thể thao, ẩm thực, chính trị đến thời tiết trong khi một tờ tạp chí tập trung vào một
nhóm đối tượng cụ thể như độc giả quan tâm đến lối sống lành mạnh chẳng hạn hay những thứ tương
tự thế.
8. Do you think headlines are important?
Headlines are really among the most important parts of an article. It is the first thing that can grab the
attention of the reader or web visitor. The headlines, in effect, are the first real point of connection with
prospective customers, so the authors need to get them right. Creating a catchy headline is extremely
important to bring the reader in to view an article, I suppose.
grab the attention of somebody /ɡræb//əˈten.ʃən/ (verb phrase): thu hút sự chú ý
in effect ~ in fact (idiom): thực tế
prospective ~ potential /ˈprɒs.pekt/ (adj): tiềm năng
bring somebody in (phrasal verb): thu hút
Tiêu đề thực sự là một trong những phần quan trọng nhất của một bài báo. Đây là điều đầu tiên có thể
thu hút sự chú ý của người đọc hoặc người truy cập web. Trên thực tế, các tiêu đề là điểm kết nối thực
sự đầu tiên với khách hàng tiềm năng, vì vậy các tác giả cần phải đặt tiêu đề sao cho chuẩn. Tôi cho rằng
việc tạo ra một tiêu đề hấp dẫn là cực kỳ quan trọng để thu hút người đọc xem một bài báo.
9. Do you think the government should censor the press whenever required?
Answer: In principle, the government shouldn’t censor the press, whenever required, primarily because
it suppresses the freedom of speech which is absolutely essential to reinforce all other human rights in a
society. Besides, press censorship prevents ‘the truths” from coming out in the public which can work
against the interests of the weak and the less-privileged section of our society. Finally, press censorship
allows the government ‘unlimited’ power to oppress its “political opponents” at will. Having said that,
however, in some situations, “press censorship” may be needed when there are risks of ‘anarchy’ and
“violence” due to fake news or “ill-motivated” news.
10. How have newspapers changed over the last few decades in your country?
Answer: In the past, newspapers have weathered many storms, but in the last few decades or so, it has
seen a significant decline in its readership and also that of as most people’s source of daily news
because of the introduction of satellite TV channels and, of course, the internet. In fact, both the
television and the internet bring news to the consumers much faster and in a more “visually-appealing”
manner than newspapers. Besides, because of these “new media”, newspapers haven’t only lost much
of its “advertising” revenues, but also incurring more and more losses because of the increasing burden
of expensive union contracts, printing presses, delivery fleets and other overhead over the last few
decades.
11. Is it easier to share news today than it was in the past?
Answer: Yes, I would say that it is much easier to share news today than the past because of the easy
availability of a wide variety of devices today, such as satellite television, FM radio, online version of
newspapers and magazines, computers, laptops, smartphones, tablets and e-readers, which were not
available in the past. Besides, since people can access these devices anytime and from anywhere, be it at
homes, offices or on the roads, sharing news 24/7 is not an issue today at all.
12. Which one is more important – domestic or international news? Why?
Answer: In my humble opinion, I would say that both the domestic and international news are important
today primarily because we are living in a “globalized” world where we are connected to each other
economically and culturally more than ever before. In other words, whatever happens in one part of the
world ends up affecting many others in another part, one way or another. Therefore, trying to attach a
certain level of importance on the news, by calling them “domestic” and “international”, would seriously
curtail our efforts and abilities to deal with many of the important issues which our world is facing
today.
13. With the popularity of the Internet, do you think newspapers and magazines will disappear in the
future?
Answer: Yes, I think that newspapers and magazines would most likely disappear in the distant future, if
not in the immediate future, in their current forms with the rise in popularity of the internet primarily
because more and more internet users are turning online to receive all kinds of news and information
for free in one go without actually having to worry about damaging or losing it. Besides, some argue that
newspapers and magazines aren’t exactly very environment-friendly and cheap to print these days
because it takes tones of wood materials, lots of electricity and many delivery tracks to produce and
transport the papers. And, therefore, it wouldn’t be a surprise if we find that they are suddenly
disappeared one day.
14. What do you think are the important qualities for a news reporter?
Answer: First and foremost, one of the essential characteristics of a news reporter is the dedication to
his profession. Academic training would be another important aspect to become a great news reporter.
Besides, being objective, curious, passionate to excel, motivated to do something better for people are
some other important qualities a professional news reporter should have. Finally, being able to judge
information received on different subjects and not misinterpreting facts are two other qualities every
good news reporter should possess.
15. What kinds of books/newspapers/magazines do adolescents read in your country?
Answer: Adolescence time is a transitional period of life so most of the children's hobbies and pastimes
change during this time. As far as my country is concerned, I think that girls at adolescence read gossip
and fashion magazines and novels with mainly romantic plots. For boys, they read sports magazines
most of the time, but there are some of them who read novels as well. When I was a teenager, my peers
used to read Harry Potter books and as far as I can remember they were mainstream.
16. Are there any differences between the news reported today and in the past?
Well, it’s obvious that today’s news programs tend to cover a much wider range of topics. Several
decades ago, political issues, technological breakthroughs and major international events used to be in
the spotlight but these days, even a celebrity’s daily activity can make a headline. Another significant
development can be seen in reporting methods. Long ago, people could only learn about what was
going on in other countries through radios, TV and newspapers. Today, anyone can become a news
reporter by posting clips, photos and stories on social media. Thanks to new platforms and cutting-edge
technologies, real-time news or live news are no longer out of the question.
17. Do you think today’s news is more reliable than in the past?
I’m afraid I disagree. On the one hand, the communication system in our modern society seems more
open than ever, which might force news agencies and reporters to respect the truth. However, a
considerable number of individuals and businesses these days appear to be so obsessed with making
money that they tend to bend the truth or, worse, circulate fake news. All in all, I think it’s wise to
always take any news or information with a grain of salt.
18. Do people in your country always follow the latest news?
Yes they do, especially when the news concerns an event that will directly affect them or their
livelihood. For example, many people always try to get the most recent updates on covid19 pandemic,
paying attention to the fatality and infection rate in their region, and following the latest update on the
policies taken by the government because they will have to adhere to it. Social media makes it possible
for the people to find the most trending news through hashtags, like the ones that we can find on
twitter. Youtube has recommended videos, which works pretty much like headlines in newspaper.
19. What do you think of showbiz and entertainment news?
Sometimes they can be informative and entertaining. I often follow updates on a new movie release or
the launching of a new album by talented musicians. However, entertainment news can also be
extremely annoying at times. Sometimes it covers a domestic conflict of a celebrity, which has nothing
to do with the interest of the public. The media coverage is often used by celebrities to gain fame and is
full of sensational made-up stories which no one actually cares about. I personally think that there
should be a clear difference between personal domain and public domain.
20. What do you think of the fact that in some countries, news is highly controlled by the government?
In a democratic country, government should not have absolute control over the media, although it
becomes a common practice in certain countries with authoritarian regime. As for my country, I can say
that people have better access to information these days. In the past, there was no technology that
enabled them to get the latest news, so people relied heavily on media run by the government. There
was only one national television channel, and only few people actually had television set.
The fact that news was handled by the government was not entirely bad considering the political
instability of that era. The world was in the middle of the cold war, and the country was forced to take
sides, whether it wanted to align to communism or western liberalism. Even the slightest
misunderstanding among different factions in the volatile society could ignite a nationwide conflict. The
national TV somehow made it possible for the authority togive a linear information and minimalize
conflicting interests, which is not entirely bad. The problem emerged when media became a tool for
government's propaganda. Instead of serving the public's interest, the media ended up being a way to
maintain the power of the authoritarian regime.
