The Media and the News – before watching

1. What does the word ‘media’ mean for you? What does it include?

2. Which type of media do you use most often?

3. Do you watch TV? What types of programmes? (documentary, comedy show, series, quiz
programmes, current events/ news, detective series, soap operas. etc.)

3. What do you think are the topics that keep the tabloids in business?

Street interviews

Watch the street interviews. Which of the people have similar news interest and opinions of the
media as you?

 How do you usually get your news?

 What kind of news stories interest you the most?
 How has modern technology changed our relationship with the news?
 Does the media use its power responsibly?

The Funny Side of the News – before watching

The name of the programme you’re going to watch is The Funny Side of the News. What do you
think it’s about?

Look at the programme information and match the words/phrases in bold with 1-6 below.

1. hesitating or making mistakes when speaking

2. happen suddenly and cause damage
3. small problems with machines
4. continuous
5. mistakes
6. going wrong (for a machine)
 The Funny Side of the News

The Funny Side of … is a BBC series that looks at all the things that can go wrong on TV,
from talent shows to wildlife programmes. Tonight it takes a look at TV news. As serious as
news can be, mistakes and blunders are unavoidable. And with the introduction of 24 hour
rolling news, mistakes have become more frequent and more visible with newsreaders
stumbling over their words and endless technical hiccups. From microphones
malfunctioning to the wrong guest being brought into the studio for an interview, disaster
is waiting to strike at any moment.

Watch the video clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuQ1tyT6-kw&ab_channel=ProfessorPaulo

Number the blunders in the order they appear in the programme. Some have more than one
example.
Malfunctioning equipment
People stumbling over their words
The wrong guest in an interview
An accident on a live programme

Complete the extracts 1-5 from the clip. Then watch again and check.

1. It’s one of the few things on television these days that really is live. So if it starts going
___________________, you’re going to see it.
2. The _________________ about rolling news ________________ that you have to fill an
awful lot of time …
3. I’m afraid we obviously have the wrong guest here. That’s deeply _________________ for
us.
4. But the undisputed _________________ of the wrong guest division is the BBC news 24
incident _________________ the charming but inappropriate Guy Goma.
5. It goes to _________________ just how much the public love a good news blunder.

Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuQ1tyT6-kw&ab_channel=ProfessorPaulo