Exercise 36
Find in the text the English equivalents for the following Russian phrases.
Вполне правдоподобная посылка неустанные сообщения журналистское расследование
следить за кем-либо горячие сенсации соперничать с кем-либо наплыв статей
отказываться от чего-то ради... сомневаться в правильности сглаживать различие между... стереть границу между... анализировать сплетничать разоблачать недостатки жесткая позиция по... опубликовать сообщение делать предположение избегать вопросов взяться за решение вопросов
Exercise 37
Choose the more suitable word.
1. The Listener is the official journal/magazine of the Linguistic Association.
2. The Sunday News has the highest circulation/output of any newspaper in Britain.
3. A scoop/circular is a leaflet delivered free to a large number of people.
4. The introduction to a book written by the author is a preface/ premise.
5. Our company finds it difficult to launch/market products in that part of the world.
6. They are bringing O. Henry's book in a new edition/publication.
7. Are newspapers subject to banning/censorship in your country?
8. This page looks very crowded and I don't like the placement/layout.
9. Mass circulation newspapers usually specialize in scoop/sensational stories.
10. Broadsheet newspapers have always rivalled/vied with tabloid newspapers.
11. Sometimes reporters expose/disclose classified information or pursue investigative reporting/journalism to expose/disclose corruption within institutions.
12. We are going to launch/market the new product at a press conference next month.
13. This newspaper doesn't have very good sports publication/ coverage.
Exercise 38
Choose the most suitable word or phrase to complete the sentences.
1. The journalist refused to_____ his source to the
judge.
a) expose b) propose c) impose d) disclose
2. The Consul hurriedly____ the message on a scrap
of paper.
a) jotted down b) wrote off c) blurred d) erased
3. This article will be continued in our next_.
a) publication b) page c) issue d) edition
4. The typist paid no attention, as she was completely in her paper.
a) engrossed b) focused c) concentrated d) dominated
5. Here is a report from our political__.
a) journalist b) editorial c) correspondent d) contributor
Exercise 39
Fill each of the blank spaces with one active word in the correct form.
1. The print and broadcasting______ do not only
________ information to the public but also
public opinion on various___.
2. The tasks that the Russian mission aims to may
be defined as______ Russia's national interests and
________ good relations with the delegations of member countries.
3. The government_____ the Press Complains Commission to that newspapers follow a Code of
Practice which______ such matters as inaccuracy,
________ and harassment.
4. The officials have made inquiries but have been unable to information from the witness.
5. Newspapers have had to cope with_ from radio
and television, they have suffered a decline in
from the peak years around the turn of the century.
6. Labour's ill thought-out reforms have_ a danger to the UK and problems to those who would__________________________
the country, not lose it.
7. May 2000 also saw the first directly elected Mayor of London and the of a Greater London Assembly to
run the capital.
8. Government and media often engage in confrontations when
reporters________ classified information or pursue
investigative______ to________ injustices and
corruption.
Exercise 40
Complete the text using the words and phrases given below.
Tabloids, coverage, polarizing, tapped, launched, running stories, niche, cover price, aimed, opposition, readership, rival,
boosted, dailies, profitability, feature, circulation, end of the
market.
THE PRESS IN BRITAIN
Of the major newspapers (1)____ in Britain recently the most successful have been The Independent at the top
(2)________ and Sunday Sport at the bottom. Of the three
(3)________ at the middle market, two have folded while
the third, Today, is already into its third proprietor.
Sunday Sport has a(n) (4)____ interested in sex-
advertising. The Independent has (5)__ an intelligent young market, taking readers from The Times and The Guardian. It is not as strong as other papers on (6),
that is, those stories that continue for days, if not weeks, but few would fault its design and use of quality pictures. Its (7)
________ of some particular issues, such as the Spycatch-
er story, was much applauded and (8)__ sales.
It is in the middle market that there are limited prospects for
growth. Twenty years ago the middle market (9)
sold 7.5 million copies nationwide, but now the figure is half that. The newspaper market is (10)________________________ between serious broadsheets and the frivolous (11)_____________________________. The problem for the middle market papers is to create their own (12)
________. The editor of The Daily Mail, who regards The
Times and The Telegraph as his (13)___, says his
strategy is to encourage longer news stories, engage quality journalists for the (14) pages and introduce a Saturday leisure section in his tabloid paper to (15)
those of the broadsheet papers. At The Daily Express (16)
_________ has dropped from 4 million in the 1960's to
1,100,000. The editor says, "We have to move a little up market. We have to report in more depth".
Competition is important in determining (17).
The Express and Daily Mail are now making money. But things
would change if they had to reduce the (18)_ as
a result of competition.
Exercise 41
Study the following idioms and make up sentences using them.
1. Hobson's choice — to have no choice at all (Mr. Hobson owned a livery stable but he did not allow the customers to pick their own horses.)
Despite all the talk about democracy in the family, the father usually gives the rest of the members Hobson's choice.
2. the writing on the wall — an incident or event that shows what will happen in the future
In retrospect he should have seen the writing on the wall when his friend gave him only a cursory greeting on his birthday.
3. to wash dirty linen in public — to openly discuss private affairs
"Let's talk about it privately", the secretary said, "rather than wash our dirty linen in public".
4. by hook or by crook — any way at all, at any cost
He had bought a costly but useless thing without any reason; now he had to get rid of it by hook or by crook.
Make up a situation using the idioms and the active vocabulary of the unit.
Wcrkshcp IV. DISPUTABLE ISSUES IN THE PRESS
The most contradictory questions about the press have always been the questions of the freedom of the press and state control of the press. Governments that limit press freedom are accused of gagging the press. This may take the form of a voluntary code of practice overseen by a body referred to informally as a watchdog. If this is not enough for the government, it may impose statutory controls. The authorities are then described as cracking down or clamping down on the press. They may also be accused of press censorship.
Read the information below, which may help you to discuss controversial issues concerning the press. Get ready to explain what the sections mentioned below imply.
THE PRESS AND THE LAW
At present in Britain there are no specific press laws. Certain others, however, include sections, which apply to the press. These include:
— the extent of newspaper ownership in radio and TV companies;
—- the transfer of newspaper assets;
— restriction on reporting certain court proceedings;
— restriction on publishing material that could incite racial hatred;
— the right of press representatives to be admitted to local authority meetings.
Laws covering contempt of court, official secrets, libel and defamation are of particular relevance to the press. Comments on judicial proceedings, which may prejudice the court's reputation for fairness cannot be published, nor can anything which might influence the result of a trial. Most legal proceedings against the press are libel actions brought by private individuals. There are also restrictions on the publication of certain advertisements for remedies for certain diseases and some prize competitions. Copyright is also protected by law.
The Press Complaints Commission was established to ensure that newspapers and periodicals follow a Code of Practice drawn by newspaper and magazine editors and adopted by the industry. The Code of Practice covers such matters as inaccuracy, harassment, intrusion into privacy and discrimination by the press. The Commission, whose members are drawn from both the public and the press, receives and adjudicates upon complaints about possible breaches of the code. It also gives general guidance to editors on ethical issues. All complaints are dealt with on paper, rather than at a formal hearing. Most complaints are about inaccuracy. The Commission publishes regular reports listing
every complaint and details of how this is being pursued. The Commission is financed by a levy paid by newspapers and magazines.
Pre-reading questions:
1. Should journalists be allowed to write and publish what they like? Why? / Why not?
2. Does the government have the right to censor the press? Under what conditions? To what extent? To what purpose?
3. Does the public have the right to control journalists?
Now read an essay by Henry Grunwald and compare your feelings about the issue with his.