The mass media

The mass media are the various ways by which information is given to people. The mass media comprise newspapers, magazines, radio, TV and the Internet.

It’s impossible to imagine our life without newspapers. Newspapers are classified into quality and popular editions. Quality newspapers are serious daily issues. Popular, tabloid newspapers are smaller in size and contain many photographs.

Russia can be proud of the variety of newspapers circulating throughout the country. You can find newspapers of all kinds: national and local, official and private, quality and popular, etc. «The Moscovsky Komsomolets» is a social and political newspaper of the Russian youth; «The Argumenty i Facty» is an independent newspaper; «The Komsomolskaya Pravda» is a popular daily paper. As for the magazines, today they are numerous. They cover all topics and interests. Among the most popular magazines are periodicals for teenagers such as the “Cool”.

There are a lot of radio stations of different types, which broadcast popular talk shows and music programmes. The most popular Russian radio stations are «Radio Rossii», «Radio Mayak» and «Vesti FM».

Television has become an integral part of our lives. It is a means of information, entertainment and education. The Russian most watched channels are: Channel One,Rossiya, Kultura,NTV,TNT, etc. They are state-owned channels. Besides there are many private channels:Petersburg - Channel 5,REN TV,STS TV,Domashniy,MTV Russia,NTV Plus, Muz TV, DTV, etc.

The Internet has its origin in the US Department of Defence program. The program was created in order to provide a communication network for organizations dealing with defence research. Since its creation in 1983 the Internet has been growing into increasingly popular mass medium. Nowadays it connects millions of computers throughout the world.

The role of the mass media in the life of the present society is difficult to overestimate. The mass media report about various aspects of life, and affect public opinion.

1. Answer the following questions:

1. What is implied under the term «the mass media»? Find the definition in the text. Give your own definition to «the mass media».

2. In what ways do quality newspapers differ from the popular ones?

3. What quality and popular newspapers can you name?

4. What Russian radio and TV networks do you know?

5. What do you know about the Internet?

6. What is the role the mass media in the life of contemporary society?

2. Make the synopsis (резюме; конспект; реферирование, синопсис) of the text according to the plan.

THE PLAN OF THE SYNOPSIS

Заглавие	I've read the text (article, story) entitled …
Источник	This is an article (a story, a text) published in the newspaper (magazine, book)...
Автор	The author of the text is ...
Идея	The main idea of the text (article, story) is to show (to prove, to underline)...
Предмет	The text is about ... The text describes (gives information about)...
Содержание	The text starts with the fact (with the description of, with the characteristic of)... I'd like to cite the author… Then the author describes (touches upon the problem of..) Besides the author stresses that ... Finally the author comes to the conclusion that... I'd like to make a quotation…
Ваше отношение	I've learned some interesting (important, new) facts (information, things) from the text. The text is informative / difficult / boring …
Ваш совет	So in my opinion the text is (not) worth reading.

3. Read the text and translate it into Russian consulting the essential vocabulary.