1. What is ‘the media’?
In the strictest meaning of the word, a medium is a channel of communication – a method by which a message is sent to an audience. Media, as the plural of medium, simply means more than one.
In this sense a medium is anything that communicates a message to an audience.
Message
Medium
Audience

2. For most people ‘the media’ refers to mass media.
What is ‘the media’?
For most people ‘the media’ refers to mass media.
Mass media is media that is capable of communicating to large groups of people, eg TV, film, radio, newspaper, websites, magazines, DVD’s, games, CD’s
Medium
TV, radio, junk-mail, sky-writing, magazine, billboard, business, letterhead, clothing, telephone, this power point

3. Questionnaire
Have you spoken with anyone today about anything you saw or heard on tv/radio?
What was the last piece of clothing you purchased? What influenced you to buy it?
What are the popular ‘in’ words at the moment? Where do they come from? How did you first hear them?
What music do you like? Where did you first get to hear it?
Have you been to Iraq? What do you know about it? Where did you get this information?
Do you have an opinion on the following topics? Write a few lines on 2-3 to express your opinion.
Crime in NZ
Immigration
Crime in the US
War in the Middle East
Politics in Russia
Sport in NZ
Racism in NZ
Nuclear arms in Iran

4. Where do you get the information to form your opinion?
Personal experience
Hearsay
What you heard on the news
What you have read in the paper and/or magazines
What you’ve seen in movies or on TV programmes
Others ?

5. What conclusions can you draw from your answers to these questions?