The Role of the Media and a Free Press
A free press is one of the tests of a democracy. Learn the jobs the media does, from informing citizens to holding power to account, the limits on free speech, and the risks the media can bring.
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The media and democracy
The media is how citizens get news and information: television, newspapers, radio, and increasingly online and social media. In a democracy, the media should be a free press, meaning it can report and criticise without being controlled or silenced by the government. This module looks at the important jobs the media does, and the risks that come with it.
The language of the media
A few key terms to know:
Free or state-controlled?
The press works very differently depending on whether it is free:
Match the role to what it means
- Inform
- Scrutinise
- Provide a platform
- Represent
- Gives citizens the information they need to decide
- Investigates and questions those in power
- Provides a space for debate and different views
- Gives a voice to different groups in society
Which role?
When the media investigates the government and exposes wrongdoing, what role is it playing?
- A watchdog, holding power to account
- Only an entertainer
- An advertiser
- A loyal follower of the government
Free speech and its limits
Freedom of expression is a key right in a democracy, but it is not unlimited. The law sets limits to protect others: you cannot libel someone by publishing damaging lies, incite violence or hatred, or reveal information that would stop a fair trial. A free press has to balance its freedom with these responsibilities.
Match the term to its meaning
- Free press
- Censorship
- Libel
- Bias
- Media free from government control
- Blocking or controlling what is published
- Publishing damaging lies about someone
- Reporting that unfairly favours one side
A free press should?
Select the TWO things a free press should do in a democracy.
- Inform citizens so they can make decisions
- Hold those in power to account
- Print only what the government approves
- Hide important information from the public
Holding power to account
Put the steps in order, showing how a free press can hold power to account.
- A journalist investigates a possible wrongdoing
- They gather evidence and check the facts
- The story is published for the public to see
- The public and politicians respond
- Those in power are held to account
A free press and its watchdog role
A _____ press is free from government control. When the media checks on those in power, it acts as a _____. Blocking what can be published is called _____. The right to share your views openly is freedom of _____. Reporting that unfairly favours one side shows _____.
The free press
Tap the TWO statements that are TRUE.
- A free press can hold those in power to account.
- The media can sometimes be biased or invade privacy.
- A free press must print only what the government approves.
- Freedom of expression has no limits at all.
- Censorship means reporting a wide range of views.
What is the media doing?
For each situation, decide what the media is doing.
- A newspaper explains the different party policies before an election. What is it doing?
- A journalist uncovers that a minister misused public money. What is the media doing?
- A paper prints the private medical details of a person of no public importance. What is this?
Why a free press matters
In English, explain why a free press is important in a democracy, and give one risk of the media. This is written in English and is not auto-marked.
- Explain what a free press is
- Give two roles a free press plays in a democracy
- Explain one limit on freedom of expression
- Give one risk or downside of the media