Vocabulary for media, journalism, and the news. Grammar: relative clauses — using who, which, that, and where to add information.
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Vocabulary
Media, journalism, and how we consume news.
Headline
The title of a news article, written in large text
The headline that caught my eye was about the climate summit.
Broadcast
A programme sent out on radio or television; to transmit such a programme
The documentary was broadcast on national television last night.
Source
A person or document that provides information for a story
The journalist who wrote the article refused to name her source.
Bias
An unfair preference for or against something that affects how it is reported
The report was criticised for its political bias.
Censorship
The suppression of information considered unacceptable by an authority
Countries where censorship is common restrict what journalists can say.
Subscription
A regular payment to access a publication or service
The newspaper that I read has moved to a subscription model.
Eyewitness
A person who saw an event happen directly
The eyewitness who spoke to the reporter described what she had seen.
Circulation
The number of copies of a newspaper or magazine that are sold
The paper whose circulation has fallen the most is the local weekly.
Impartial
Not taking sides; treating all parties fairly
A broadcaster that is truly impartial is rare in today's media landscape.
Misinformation
False or inaccurate information spread unintentionally
Social media platforms where misinformation spreads quickly are a serious problem.
Editorial
An article expressing the opinion of a newspaper's editors; relating to editing
The editorial that appeared in Tuesday's paper sparked huge debate.
Freelance
Working independently for multiple employers rather than one organisation
The photographer who took the images was a freelance journalist.
Vocabulary exercises
Grammar
Relative clauses — who, which, that, where
A relative clause gives more information about a noun. It comes directly after the noun it describes and is introduced by a relative pronoun.
The journalist who broke the story won an award. The article that / which I read this morning was very interesting. The city where the newspaper was founded no longer exists.
Pronoun
Used for
Example
who
People
The reporter who investigated the story spent months abroad.
which
Things and animals
The documentary which won the prize was about climate change.
that
People or things (informal; cannot be used after a comma)
The story that shocked everyone was published last week.
where
Places
The studio where the interview was recorded has since closed.
whose
Possession (people or things)
The editor whose decision caused controversy has resigned.
That can replace who or which in defining clauses (essential information). You cannot use that after a comma: The BBC, which is publicly funded, … ✓ The BBC, that is publicly funded, … ✗
Grammar exercises
Reading
Read the article carefully, then answer the questions.
Who do we trust for news?
The way people consume news has changed more in the last twenty years than in the previous two centuries. Newspapers that once dominated public discourse have seen their circulations fall dramatically. Television news programmes that were once watched by millions every evening now compete with an endless stream of online content.
Trust in news media has also declined. A 2023 survey found that fewer than 40% of people in many countries said they trusted news sources most of the time. The platforms where people now get their news — social media, messaging apps, video sites — are places where editorial standards that traditional journalism upheld are rarely enforced.
The problem of misinformation is closely linked to this crisis of trust. Stories that circulate on social media are often not checked by a journalist or fact-checked by an editor. A single piece of false information that is shared widely can reach millions of people before it is corrected — if it ever is.
Despite all this, there are reasons for cautious optimism. Fact-checking organisations which verify claims made by politicians and public figures have grown significantly. Many readers who previously consumed news passively have become more critical and selective. And a generation of journalists who grew up with social media understand the landscape in a way that their predecessors did not.
Comprehension questions
Writing
Guided writing task.
Task: Media paragraph
Write a paragraph (80-120 words) about how you consume news and why you trust or distrust certain sources. Use at least three relative clauses.
Describe the news sources you use
Use a defining relative clause
Use a non-defining relative clause
Use media vocabulary from this unit
0 words
Model answer
I mainly use online newspapers, which I find more convenient than print media. The journalists who write for the publications I trust tend to provide clear sources and balanced perspectives. I also follow a podcast that focuses on international news, which helps me understand events in context. Misinformation, which is increasingly common on social media, is something I try to be cautious about. I always check whether a story has been reported by more than one source, especially if it involves a controversial topic.