IELTS Writing Task 2 – Some people think that the news media nowadays have influenced peoples
Some people think that the news media nowadays have influenced people’s lives in negative ways.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
You should write at least 250 words.
IELTS Writing Task 2/ IELTS Essay Sample
Sample Answer 1:
I disagree with the given statement that media has a negative influence on our lives. In the
following paragraphs, I intend to put forth my arguments in support of my views.
There are many positive effects of media. To begin with, the usefulness of the media in
almost instantly providing information about events around the world is undeniable. It is
because of the media that today we don’t belong to a big planet Earth; we belong to a small
global village. Furthermore, media also shapes our opinions. It is a link between the
government and the people. Our conceptions of our elected officials spring from television
images and newspaper stories. Most of us will never meet prime ministers or presidents,
but anyone who is regularly exposed to the media will know about them. When it is time to
cast our vote, we will make our decision based on the media coverage of candidates.
The media are also influential in the way they facilitate the spread of culture and lifestyle.
Today, the popularity of Indian culture is an example of the media’s enormous impact. It is
the media which highlights the good points of our own culture through programmes such as
‘India’s got Talent’. What is more, the reality shows of today have given exposure and fame
to the common man with talent today. Indeed, with technological advancements such as
the Internet bringing even more forms of electronic media to our homes and workplaces, it
is likely the media’s influence will grow even stronger. Finally, the media also helps in
providing justice to the common man. Who has not heard of the Jessica murder case and
the case of Nithari killings? Were it not for the media, Jessica’s parents would have never
got justice.
As every rose is accompanied by thorns, the media too has its downside. The paparazzi can
invade the privacy of famous people. Sometimes violence and vulgarity is shown and at
times it can shape our opinion in negative ways. For that my counter argument is that once
the person becomes famous then his private life becomes public and he has no right to crib
about the paparazzi. People can choose what they want to see and technology has provided
them the tools to block those channels which they don’t want their children to see. Finally,
God has given us brains to judge what is right or wrong. The media is just doing its job by
providing us with the latest information.
In conclusion, I would like to reiterate by saying that the influence of media on our lives is
largely positive.
Model Answer 2:
It is true that our lives have changed significantly due to popularity of news media. However, I do not agree with the idea that the development of news media is negative.
To begin with, modern media sources have made great inroads in the spreading of knowledge. For example, the Internet allowed (and continues to allow) the world to witness the uprisings of the Arab Spring. Had these images not been made available to a scrutinizing global audience, it is possible the entire phenomenon could have cost many more lives than it did. As this example shows, modern news media allows the human family to keep watch of each other and provide aid if it is needed.
In addition to this, news media sources have developed simplicity and accountability the world over, which has done a lot to tackle corruption. Take the tragic high-speed train crash in China as an example. Despite trying to quickly bury the carriages involved, the Chinese government was forced to admit that serious corruption problems had plagued the project from the beginning. The healthy dialogues that the media coverage of this unfortunate event sparked will hopefully continue to encourage integrity within the Chinese government. It is for reasons such as this that news media should be thought of as a positive entity in the world.
In conclusion, it seems to me that news media have a positive phenomena and it is hoped that free press will continue to grow with the help of technology and modern tools.
Model Answer 3:
Thanks to news media which connects us throughout the world. Today we are not living on big planet earth. We are part of global village. Some people think that news media have influenced people’s lives in negative ways. I strongly disagree with the given statement and I shall put my arguments forth to support my views.
It is irrefutable that media has a lots of advantages. Firstly, it provides us all the latest information. It also keeps us in touch with technology and those who are techno savvy come to know about different gadgets. It is a great source of entertainment. It provides us jokes, games like Sudoku and some interesting and funny stories. Also it tells us about our celebrities’ lifestyles.
Furthermore, it shapes our views. If anyone has misconception about any popular personality, he can easily sort out it with the help of news media. Also pen of editor has great power. One can heard his voice to the higher authorities by writing letters to the editors. It is a link between government and common man. Mostly not every person ever get chance to meet famous Politian, celebrities and sportsmen but they all know about them through media.
Moreover, it helps in providing justice to the people. For example, everyone knows about Jessica murder case and it is only the media who helps to provide justice to Jessica’s parents. What is more it is the media which makes our culture popular through television programmes such as ‘Just dance’, ‘India’s got Talent’ and many more.
To put it in a nutshell , I pen down saying that media is ubiquitous and indispensable part of our life. The onus lies on people to take every news with a pinch of salt and decide what is wrong or right. As every rose has thorns, it also has some cons which are negligible.
Sample Answer 4:
It is not an exaggeration to say that news, which is brought by media channels, has become an integral part of modern society, especially when communication technologies have advanced rapidly. Nonetheless, there is a growing consensus that believes the media is to adversely impact people’s lives. Despite such notion, the author is convinced that the media is both a boon and a bane.
First all of, there is no denying that the role of the media in delivering news is important, if not vital, to human activities, especially in business environment. By disseminating information on a timely basis, the media allows individuals, particularly businesspeople, to make appropriate reaction on time. For instance, in securities exchange markets, an ideal trader is expected to follow current affairs, at all levels, around the world and thereby, able to make suitable buying and selling decisions. Undeniably, it is the function of the media to broadcast news that help people avoid significant losses due to inadequacy of information.
Despite their considerable and ongoing contribution, the news media might sometimes be harmful to society. In return for higher audience ratings, some newsmakers are willing to sacrifice the validity of the messages which they convey to the public. It is often seen that news reporters in the newspapers and on television exaggerate or dramatize some issues or events in order to draw attention of the desired audiences. This trend is to bring unnecessary panic among the population.
In summary, the role of news media as information provider should be acknowledged. However, it is not to say that the news media can always give people a true and fair view of the problems in society.
Model Answer 5:
For many people, news is a regular pan of life. An issue in dispute is whether the massive influence of the news media on people’s daily lives denotes a negative development. It is my view that news media does more good than harm to the society.
The news media provides people with much of the information they need on a timely basis, although there are claims that it reports on issues and events purposely (only selecting those events that interest the audience). Anecdotal evidence shows that people from all walks of life have the habit of collecting information regularly from the news media, including print, broadcast and Internet-based media. Information assists people in decision making. For example, the Free Trade Agreement reached by the Chinese government and its New Zealand counterpart might open up many opportunities to both countries. For any business person, either in New Zealand or in China, failing to recognise and capitalise on this impending change would cause a costly loss.
Meanwhile it should be recognised that the news media can sometimes save lives and reduce casualties. There is a lot of uncertainty about the surroundings, and people are susceptible to the damage caused by accidents, crimes and natural calamity. The news media conveys the firsthand information to concerned audiences and enable them to take corresponding actions right away. The authority can declare a state of emergency when it is necessary, organise evacuation and distribute aid to the needy areas. All these efforts count on the news media as the messenger.
Despite their significant and ongoing contribution to the society, the news media might sometimes be harmful to society. It is a convention that the news media exaggerates the magnitude of the real threat (for example, the potential of a terrorism attack), in order to draw the attention of the desired audiences and in pursuit of high audience ratings. It ends up with causing panic among the population. Meanwhile, the news media tends to emphasise some issues or events, which virtually have little relevance to people’s daily lives, such as an occasional multiple vehicle accident, an affair that a celebrity is involved with, and the like. It distracts the audience from something that is much more noteworthy, for instance, poverty, environmental problems, to name but a few.
In summary, the role of news media as an information provider should be acknowledged. In case of emergency, it acts as a lifesaver. However, it is not to say that the news media can give people an overall view of the problems in society all the time.
Submit your Essay here in the comment section, we will add your essay in our post.
(Collected)
