Chapter 6- Understanding Media

1. In what ways does media play an important role in a democracy?

Answer: Media play an important role in democracy in the following ways:

1. They make the masses know about certain issues/problems.

2. They propagate the policies and programmes of the government.
3. They also criticise the unpopular policies and programmes of the government.
4. They help in forming the opinion of the masses.
5. They also report various crimes and mishappenings, accidents, etc.
6. The media also announce the opinions of the public about certain
issues/problems etc.

2. Can you give this diagram a title? What do you understand about the link
between media and big business from this diagram?

Answer: A title to the above diagram may be given like this—Media and Big Business
Houses. Big Business Houses attract people to promote their products through media.
It is the best and the cheapest means to reach people at large.

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3. You have read about the ways in which the media ‘sets the agenda’. What kind
of effect does this have in a democracy? Provide two examples to support your
point of view.
Answer:
Media “setting an agenda” has an impact on democracy.

1. By focusing on a particular issue the media influences our thoughts and feelings.
2. It brings the core issues to light and sometimes even helps get justice for people.
3. By setting an agenda, media creates awareness about certain wrongs or the
illegal activities happening in the society and makes the government take action.
4. Sometimes due to government pressure or due to the influence of big business
houses, the balanced may not come out.
5. For example: During and after the Commonwealth games media focused on the
corruption in giving out the projects, more recently the “Coalgate” issue.
6. Bring to light the amount of money secretly stashed in Swiss banks.

4. As a class project, decide to focus on a particular news topic and cut out
stories from different newspapers on this. Also, watch the coverage of this topic
on TV news, compare two newspapers and write down the similarity—and
differences in their reports. It might help to ask the following questions:
(a) What information is this article providing?
(b) What information is it leaving out?
(c) From whose point of view is the article being written?
(d) Whose point of view is being left out and why?
Answer: Students are suggested to do this project themselves.

VERY SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. Name various forms of communication.

Answer: Radio, television, newspapers, the Internet.

2. What does the word ‘media’ mean?

Answer: Radio, television, newspapers, the Internet, and several other forms of
communication are collectively known as media.

3. Mention any one positive aspect of television.

Answer: Television has enabled us to think of ourselves as members of a larger global
world.

4. Mention one way in which the mass media earns money.

Answer: The mass media earns money by advertising different things like cars,
clothes, tea, etc.

5.Why are some advertisements shown repeatedly on the television screen? [V.
Imp.]
Answer: Same advertisements are shown repeatedly on the television screen just to
make people’s minds to go out and buy what is advertised.
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6. What are the various ways through which people express their dissatisfaction
to any of the government’s decision which does not go in their favour?
Answer: They do so by writing letters to the concerned minister, organising a public
protest, starting a signature campaign and asking the government to rethink its
programme, etc.

7. What do you mean by a balanced report? [V. Imp.]

Answer: A balanced report is one that discusses all points of view of a particular story
and then leaves it to the readers to make up their minds.

8. Why is it necessary for the media to be independent?

Answer: Only then media can write a balanced report.

9. Why does media sometimes focus on a particular aspect of a story?

Answer: It is because the media believes that this will make the story interesting.

10. What does the media’s close relationship with business often mean?
Answer: It means that the media will fail to give a balanced report.

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. How has television brought the world closer to us?

Answer: Television images travel huge distances through satellites and cables. This
allows us to view news and entertainment channels from other parts of the world. We
see cartoons on our television set which are mostly from Japan and the United States.
We can be sitting in Delhi and can see images of Barak Obama’s oath ceremony in the
United States. Thus, television has enabled us to think of ourselves as members of a
larger global world.

2. Most television channels and newspapers are part of big business houses.
Why? [V. Imp.]
Answer: The technologies that mass media use keep changing and so a lot of money
is spent on getting the latest technology. The TV studio in which the newsreader sits
has lights, cameras, sound recorders, transmission satellites etc. All of these cost a lot
of money.

One thing more, it is not only the newsreader who needs to be paid but also a number
of other people who help put the broadcast together. Due to these costs, mass media
needs a great deal of money to do its various works. As a result, most television
channels and newspapers are part of big business houses.

3. What do you mean by an independent media? Why is it important for the media
to be independent? [V. Imp.]
Answer: An independent media means that no one should control and influence its
coverage of news. No one should tell the media what can be included and what should
not be included in a news story. It means that the media should not be under any one’s
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pressure. It will be totally independent. An independent media is very important
because it is on the basis of the information that the media provides that we take action
as citizens. Hence, it essential that this information is reliable. It should be biased at all.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. Write a brief note on ‘local media’.

Answer: Local media covers small Issues that involve ordinary people and their daily
lives. It is usually started by local groups. Several people use community radio to tell
farmers about the prices of different crops and advise them on the use of seeds and
fertilisers. Others make documentary films with fairly cheap and easily available video
cameras on real-life conditions faced by different poor communities and, at times, have
even given the poor these video cameras to make films on their own lives.

Khabar Lahriya is also a local newspaper. It is a fortnightly that is run by eight Dalit
women in the Chitrakoot district in Uttar Pradesh. It is written in the local language,
Bundeli. This eight-page newspaper covers the Dalit issues and cases of violence
against women and political corruption. This newspaper is popular among farmers,
shopkeepers, panchayat members, school teachers, and women who have recently
become literate.

2. How can you say that media is far from freedom? Or why do most newspapers
still fail to provide a balanced story? [V. Imp.]
Answer: It is said that media is often controlled by business houses. Media does what
these business houses wish. At times, it is in the interest of these businesses to focus
on only one side of the story. The media is in constant need of money.

Hence, it is essential for media to get linked, it is with advertising groups. In such a
situation it is difficult for media to report against people who give them advertisements.
Its close links to big business houses snatch its independence. It has to do as per the
wishes of these business houses, Media also tends to focus on a particular aspect of a
story because they believe this makes the story interesting.

One thing more, if they want to increase public support for an issue, they often do this
by focusing on one side of a story. Thus, it is difficult to say that the media is
independent.

Extra Questions
Question 1.
Lighthouse of democracy is
(a) Publish
(b) Media
(c) Print
(d) Press
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Answer
Answer: (b) Media

Question 2.
______ refer to advertisements made by the State or private agencies that
have a larger message for society
(a) Private advertisements
(b) State advertisements
(c) Social advertisements
(d) Society advertisements

Answer
Answer: (c) Social advertisements

Question 3.
What is local media
(a) Media run by local groups intended to cover local issues of people in
remote areas
(b) Media run by state groups intended to cover local issues of people in
remote areas

(c) Media run by national groups intended to cover local issues of people in
remote areas
(d) Media run by international groups intended to cover local issues of people
in remote areas
Answer
Answer: (a) Media run by local groups intended to cover local issues of
people in remote areas

Question 4.
__________ can reach millions of people because they use certain
technologies
(a) Newspapers, television and telephone
(b) Newspapers, Mobile and telephone
(c) Newspapers, television and radio
(d) Newspapers, Mobile and radio

Answer
Answer: (c) Newspapers, television and radio

Question 5.
Media is the plural form of the word
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(a) Medium
(b) Midia
(c) Mediuom
(d) Medio

Answer
Answer: (a) Medium

Question 6.
Media decides which subject to highlight and hence
(a) Memorandum
(b) Report
(c) Sets the agenda
(d) Meeting

Answer
Answer: (c) Sets the agenda

Question 7.
This refers to a thing or service that has been made for being sold in the
market.
(a) Consumer
(b) Selling
(c) Production
(d) Product

Answer
Answer: (d) Product

Question 8.
Which of the following is example of print media
(a) Radio and Magazine
(b) Newspaper and Magazine report
(c) Television and Newspaper
(d) Telephone and Newspaper

Answer
Answer: (b) Newspaper and Magazine report

Question 9.
Which of the following is not an example of social advertisement
(a) Paying tax on time
(b) Use of sunsilk for your hair
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(c) Save every drop of water
(d) Using energy saving fuel

Answer
Answer: (b) Use of sunsilk for your hair

Question 10.
This refers to news reports, articles, interviews, stories, etc., that are printed
in newspapers, magazines and books for a wide audience to read.
(a) Report
(b) Broadcast
(c) Print paper
(d) Publish

Answer
Answer: (d) Publish

Question 11.
Branding actually came from
(a) Cattle grazing
(b) Sheep grazing
(c) Cow grazing
(d) Buffalo grazing

Answer
Answer: (a) Cattle grazing

Question 12.
_______ is a report which discusses all point of view of a particular story.
(a) Full report
(b) Lengthy report
(c) Popular report
(d) Balanced report

Answer
Answer: (d) Balanced report

Question 13.
When a large number of people come together and openly state their
opposition to some issue. Organising a rally, starting a signature campaign,
blocking roads etc. are some of the ways in which this is done
(a) Violence
(b) Riot
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(c) Broadcast
(d) Public protest

Answer
Answer: (d) Public protest

Question 14.
When the government prevents either a news item, or scenes from a movie,
or the lyrics of a song from being shared with the larger public, this is referred
to as
(a) Press Conference
(b) Censorship
(c) Telecommunication
(d) Sensorship

Answer
Answer: (b) Censorship

Question 15.
This word refers to people’s lives being identified by the products they own,
the clothes they wear, the places they eat in, etc.
(a) Lifelong
(b) Lifestyle
(c) Lifeline
(d) Lifelike

Answer
Answer: (b) Lifestyle

Question 16.
Objective of media are as follows
(a) Highlight the visits of a famous political party
(b) New of major political events
(c) Highlight one side of the aspects
(d) Separate news from opinion

Answer
Answer: (c) Highlight one side of the aspects

Question 17.
One word that is often used to collectively refer to the radio, TV, newspapers,
Internet and several other forms of communication. This word is
(a) Communication
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(b) Media
(c) Telecommunication
(d) Press Conference

Answer
Answer: (b) Media

Question 18.
The promotion of the saleable goods , services and ideas by the a reputed
sponsor is termed as
(a) Ideology
(b) Advertising
(c) Servicing
(d) Selling

Answer
Answer: (b) Advertising

Question 19.
This word is used to refer to a TV or radio programme that is widely
transmitted.
(a) Print
(b) Broadcast
(c) Publish
(d) Report

Answer
Answer: (b) Broadcast

Question 20.
Which of the following is not the example of digital media
(a) Book
(b) TV
(c) Mobile phone
(d) Internet

Answer
Answer: (a) Book

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