Activity 14: The influence of Press on Public Opinion

Activity 1
Work in pairs or fours and choose a news event. 
Decide on two different viewpoints about the story. 

Activity 2
One pair should work out an account of the event.  The other pair should try to work on a different point of view. 

These viewpoints could be presented as a written newspaper report or a tv or radio oral report.  If you have access to a video camera you could film your reports.

Activity 3
When you have completed your accounts, compare them using the following questions. 

• How do they differ?  
• What view of the event would somebody get if they were just to read one of your accounts?
• What does this exercise tell us about how the media can affect public opinion?
• If we only have one account of an event, can we accept it uncritically?