7.6 Media And Communication

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to identify important issues within this topic, recognise contrasting perspectives, suggest causes and consequences, consider possible courses of action and develop suitable questions for Global Perspectives research.

How To Use This Topic Guide

This is not a chapter to memorise. Use it to explore possible issues, practise Cambridge skills and decide whether this topic is suitable for an Individual Report or Team Project.

What This Topic Includes

Media and communication includes journalism, television, advertising, social media, public relations and the ways information is created, selected and shared.

Possible Global Issues

Misinformation and deliberate disinformation.
Media bias and ownership.
Freedom of the press and government control.
Representation of minorities and social groups.
Advertising influence on children and consumers.
Citizen journalism and verification.
Algorithms and personalised news.
Public trust in journalism.
Privacy and reporting on individuals.

Stakeholders And Perspectives

Journalists may value accuracy, independence and public interest.
Media owners may consider audience size, profit and political influence.
Governments may defend security and order but may also restrict criticism.
Audiences may seek quick information that confirms existing beliefs.
Advertisers may want persuasive access to specific groups.
Minority communities may demand fair and accurate representation.
Public figures may value privacy while attracting legitimate scrutiny.
Platforms may claim neutrality while controlling visibility through algorithms.

Possible Causes

Commercial competition for attention.
Political influence and concentrated ownership.
Rapid sharing before verification.
Algorithms rewarding engagement.
Low media literacy.
Dependence on advertising revenue.
Limited access to independent journalism.
Social and political polarisation.

Possible Consequences

Greater public awareness and accountability.
Faster spread of false or harmful information.
Reduced trust in institutions and journalism.
Manipulation of elections or public behaviour.
Stereotyping and exclusion.
More voices participating in public debate.
Pressure on journalists and threats to press freedom.
Privacy harm and online harassment.

Possible Courses Of Action

Teach media literacy and source verification.
Support independent fact-checking and public-interest journalism.
Require transparency about ownership, sponsorship and algorithms.
Create fair correction and complaints systems.
Protect journalists while maintaining standards against defamation and harm.
Use clearer rules for political advertising.
Encourage diverse newsrooms and responsible representation.
Improve platform responses to coordinated manipulation.

Possible Individual Report Questions

Should social-media platforms decide what news users see?
Is government regulation of misinformation compatible with freedom of expression?
Does concentrated media ownership weaken democracy?
Should journalists have the right to publish private information about public figures?
Can media-literacy education reduce the effects of false information?

Possible Team Project Ideas

Compare coverage of one event across several media outlets.
Create a fact-checking guide or school news-verification project.
Audit representation of social groups in local media.
Run a campaign explaining sponsored or manipulated content.
Produce a balanced report on a local issue using multiple perspectives.

Useful Types Of Evidence

News articles, broadcasts and social-media posts.
Ownership and funding information.
Corrections, complaints and press-regulator decisions.
Audience surveys and trust data.
Fact-checking reports.
Interviews with journalists, editors and community groups.

Skill Practice

Select two reports on the same event. Compare headline, source selection, language, images and omitted information. Explain how these choices shape perspective.

Lesson Summary

Media does not simply transmit information; it selects and frames it.
Bias should be demonstrated through evidence rather than assumed.
Freedom, responsibility, privacy and public interest may conflict.
Strong evaluation checks authorship, ownership, evidence and purpose.