What is News? (План урока английского языка)

The nature of news is a favourite subject of discussion among journalists. Some place the emphasis on one aspect, some on another but it is generally agreed that the essence of news is topicality, novelty and general interest.

To be news an item of information must have a bearing on the affairs of the moment, it must be new to those who hear or read it, and it must arouse the interest of a considerable number of those hearers or readers. Items which possess these qualities to a marked degree are often spoken of as «hard» news, and are given priority by those who select and arrange the contents of the paper.

The art of news-gathering calls for a highly developed sense of news values. To acquire this sense the journalist must have a wide acquaintance with men and affairs, a sound educational background and a very considerable stock of general knowledge. For it is only thus that he will be able to distinguish what is new from what is already known, and what is of topical interest from what is of little concern to the majority of his readers. And this knowledge he must keep constantly up to date by being himself an assiduous reader of newspapers and magazines.

Above all, he must have his finger on the pulse of current thought and public opinion; he must, be aware of what the great mass of men and women around him are thinking and feeling; he must never lose «the common touch», for although he himself may move in a circle whose interests are specialised, what he writes must appeal to the man in the street.

The collection of news has a highly organised business. There is hardly a corner of the world today which is not covered by the gigantic network of news-gatherers employed by the local and national newspapers and the great news agencies.

Very briefly, the system operates thus. Local news is collected by the reporters and district representatives of provincial newspapers, and by the local staff correspondents of the national dailies. Events of national importance are covered by staff reporters of the national dailies and by special correspondents of both the national and provincial Press.

In addition, home news is reported by district correspondents of the news agencies, notably the Press Association, the Exchange Telegraph and Central News. Foreign news is gathered by Reuters news agency and by the foreign correspondents employed by the national dailies and some of the larger provincial papers. Items of interest to particular sections of the community (e.g. trade and technical news) are gathered by a number of smaller news agencies operating in different parts of the country.

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ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY

topic	тема
the topic of the day	злободневная тема
the topic of conversation	тема разговора
topical	актуальный, животрепещущий;  тематический;
topical question	злободневный вопрос
to be of topical interest	представлять злободневный интерес
topical article on medicine	статья на медицинскую тему
topical film	документальный фильм, хроникальный фильм, кинорепортаж
topicality	актуальность
topically	1. актуально; 2. тематически
priority	1. приоритет, старшинство, первенство; 2. порядок очередности;
first priority	первоочередность
of high priority	первоочередной, неотложный, срочный
priority number one	самое главное, самое срочное
to give priority to smth	придавать первостепенное значение чему-л.
background	1. задний план, фон; 2. кинообстановка, место действия, предметы или действующие лица, расположенные в глубине кадра; 3. подоплека; 4. подготовка, образование, квалификация;
to stay in the background	оставаться в тени, на заднем плане
the background of the deal was easy to explain	подоплека этой сделки была легко объяснима
the background of the event	предыстория события
he has the right background for the job	у него хорошая подготовка для этой работы
to look up smb’s background	наводить справки о ком-л. (о чьем-л. происхождении, моральном облике, связях)
What’s his background?	Что он собой представляет?
background music	музыкальный фон
background noise	посторонний шум
to select /gather/collect news	собирать информацию, новости
the art of news-gathering	искусство сбора информации (новостей)
news-gatherer	репортер
newsworthy	достойный освещения в печати
agency	агентство, представительство
news agency	информационное агентство
wire news agency	телеграфное агентство
staff correspondent	штатный корреспондент
special correspondent	специальный корреспондент
district correspondent	районный корреспондент
war correspondent	военный корреспондент
roaming correspondent	разъездной корреспондент

Remember the Prepositions

• to place the emphasis on smth
• to be of topical interest
• to a marked degree
• to be of little (great) concern to smb
• to call for smth
• to be of national importance
• to have a wide acquaintance with smth

Remember the Phrases
a problem of topical interest, of national importance, of great concern, of interest, of little concern, of no importance, of high priority

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EXERCISES

1.    Read the text consulting the essential vocabulary.

2.    Read the sentences which follow and decide whether they are true or false.

Correct them in accordance with the text and express your own opinion on the problem. Use the following phrases to express your agreement or disagreement:

Agreement	Disagreement
I think so.	don’t think so.
I believe so.	I’m afraid not.
I suppose so.	hardly think so.
That’s right.	don’t quite agree with the author here.
I agree with the author.	On the contrary.
That goes without saying.	Same here.

1. The nature of news is never discussed among journalists.
2. To be news an item of information must have nothing to do with the affairs of the day.
3. It is generally agreed that the essence of news is topicality, novelty and general interest.
4. To be news an item of information must appeal to a small audience.
5. «Hard» news is news which does not arouse any interest of readers or hearers.
6. Journalists usually give priority to such news which has no bearing on the affairs of the moment.
7. «Hard» news is given priority by those who select and arrange the contents of the newspaper.
8. A highly developed sense of news values is of paramount importance for a journalist.
9. Any beginner possesses a highly developed sense of news values.
10. To acquire a highly developed sense of news values one must be an assiduous reader of detective stories.
11. The journalist must have a considerable stock of knowledge and a sound educational background.
12. It is not necessary for a journalist to have a wide acquaintance with men and affairs.
13. News should be of little concern to the majority of the readers.
14. The journalist must keep his knowledge constantly up to date by reading newspapers and magazines.
15. To keep his knowledge constantly up to date the journalist should read fiction.
16. What a journalist writes must appeal to those whose interests are specialised.
17. The collection of news is being carried out by a small group of journalists.
18. Events of national importance are covered only by the national press.
19. Local news is covered by foreign correspondents.
20. Foreign correspondents are employed by small town papers.

3. Practise asking and answering questions. Read the following sentences and construct questions for which they could be the answers.

Then give your arguments for and against the idea expressed in the sentences.

1. The nature of news is a favourite subject of discussion among journalists.
2. The essence of news is topicality, novelty and general interest.
3. To be news an item of information must have bearing on the affairs of the moment.
4. News must arouse the interest of a considerable number of hearers and readers.
5. Items which possess these qualities are spoken of as «hard» news.
6. Those who select and arrange the contents of the paper give priority to «hard» news.
7. The art of news-gathering calls for a highly developed sense of news values.
8. To acquire a highly developed sense of news values the journalist must have a wide acquaintance with men and affairs, a sound educational background and a very considerable stock of knowledge.
9. A highly developed sense of news value helps the journalist distinguish what is new from what is already generally known.
10. News must be of topical interest to the majority of the readers.
11. The journalist must keep his knowledge up to date by being an assiduous reader of newspapers and magazines.
12. News must appeal to the man in the street.
13. The collection of news has become a highly organised business.
14. News is gathered by the gigantic network of news-gatherers in every corner of the world.
15. News-gatherers are employed by the local and national newspapers and great news agencies.
16. Local news is collected by the reporters and district representatives of provincial newspapers and by the local staff correspondents of the national dailies.
17. Events of national importance are covered by staff reporters of the national dailies and by special correspondents of both the national and provincial Press.
18. Home news is reported by district correspondents of the news agencies.
19. Foreign news is gathered by Reuters news agency and by foreign correspondents.
20. Foreign correspondents are employed by national dailies and some of the larger provincial papers.
21. Smaller news agencies operating in different parts of the country gather items of interest to particular sections of the community.

4.    Give Russian equivalents for the following:

1. to be a favourite subject of discussion;
2. to place the emphasis on something;
3. it is generally agreed;
4. topicality, novelty and general interest;
5. the essence of news;
6. to have a bearing on the affairs;
7. to possess some qualities;
8. to a marked degree;
9. to give priority to something;
10. to select and arrange the contents of the newspaper;
11. to acquire a highly developed sense of news values;
12. to have a wide acquaintance with;
13. a sound educational background;
14. a considerable stock of general knowledge;
15. to be of topical interest; to be of little concern;
16. to be aware of something;
17. to appeal to; the collection of news;
18. a highly organised business;
19. district representatives of provincial newspapers;
20. local staff correspondents of the national dailies;
21. above all;
22. in addition to;
23. home news;
24. news agency;
25. foreign news

5.    Give Russian equivalents for the following:

• • to arrange one’s hair (dress, tie);
  • to arrange business (affairs);
  • to arrange books in alphabetical order;
  • to arrange books on the shelves;
  • to arrange a novel for the stage

• priority of invention;
• priority of work;
• to observe the rules of priority;
• to establish an order of priority;
• high priority measures;
• priority printing;
• on a priority basis;
• priority message

6.    Explain in English what is meant by:

1. a favourite subject of discussion;
2. topicality;
3. news of general interest;
4. to have a bearing on the affairs of the moment;
5. «hard» news;
6. to give priority to something;
7. a highly developed sense of news values;
8. an assiduous reader of newspapers;
9. not to lose «the common touch» with people;
10. a news-gatherer;
11. local news;
12. local newspapers;
13. events of national importance;
14. a staff correspondent;
15. a national daily;
16. a special correspondent;
17. a district correspondent;
18. a news agency;
19. foreign news;
20. a provincial newspaper;
21. a man in the street

7.    Discuss the following topics:

1.    The nature of news
Phrases to be used:

• a favourite subject of discussion;
• to place the emphasis on;
• topicality, novelty and general interest;
• to have a bearing on the affairs of the moment;
• to arouse interest;
• to give priority;
• to select and arrange the contents of the paper

2.    The art of news-gathering
Phrases to be used:

• a highly developed sense of news values;
• a wide acquaintance with men and affairs;
• a sound educational background;
• a very considerable stock of general knowledge;
• to be able to distinguish;
• to be of interest to;
• to be of little concern to;
• to keep up to date;
• to have one’s finger on the pulse of current thought and public opinion;
• to be aware of;
• to appeal to the man in the street

3. The collection of news
Phrases to be used:

• a highly organised business;
• to be covered by the gigantic network;
• local and national newspapers;
• news-gatherers;
• news agencies;
• local news;
• provincial newspapers;
• local staff correspondents;
• ational dailies;
• district correspondents;
• foreign correspondents;
• items of interest to particular sections of the community