Some say that reading newspapers and watching TV news is a waste of time, because it has no direct connection with people’s lives. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Agree
Most media focuses on celebrities, movies, sports, which does not have a relevance
Some only present agenda that have limited significance for everyday life
Disagree
Announcing government policies,
Informing about economic trends
Price rise, costs, and benefits
business trends
Inform employment patterns
Happenings in other parts of the world that have a profound impact on business, employment and well being
Enlightening about weather and calamities
Caution people about crime and social unrest
Although it is commonly perceived that engaging with newspapers and television for news is wasteful endeavour, I strongly detest it, for there is only one method that can help one stay up-to-date with current affairs, something critical in the modern world.
Those harbouring this belief profess that the contemporary media has taken up the role of acting as the publicity outlet for prosperous business houses and powerful political outfits. They only focus on televising and heralding news about conventions, meetings, and conferences, among others, which fails to provide any useful input to the majority.
Nevertheless, this notion would be of the great consequence if it were true: the events involving business deliberations and political discussions, propagated through television programs and newspapers are keenly/ eagerly/ enthusiastically followed by millions because this can inform them about the potential opportunities for employment and business being created by successful conclusion of such events. To corroborate, giant media publications and media companies extensively covered the convention between the UK government and businesses, in 2021, that marked an end to restrictive policies enacted during pandemic, resulting in employees returning to their offices and businesses opening from the very next day.
Similarly, this information channel has always played a pivotal role in bringing updates about pandemics, calamities, and other jeopardizing conditions, to caution their audiences about probable hazards facing them, in turn preparing them to embrace precautions. For instance, a warning about tsunami aired by BBC in Osaka, in May 2025, saved almost one million lives as residents of coastal areas evacuated quickly.
In hindsight, all forms of media are doing a great service to society by enlightening people about various developments and approaching perils, raising hopes and saving lives in the process, turning this allegation into irrelevant.
Introduction 1: Newspapers and television have become a primary source of informing the general populace about the happenings around the world, but some are critical about this, and suggest that such engagement amounts to squandering time, for this activity has little significance in routine life. However, I fail to concur with this notion in absolute terms since this is the only way to stay up-to-date about the surroundings that can profoundly impact people. Introduction 2: This is a common perception that engaging with newspapers and television for news amounts to squandering of invaluable time, for such engagement is irrelevant for daily life, but this notion can be challenged on several grounds. The following paragraphs shall critically analyse this matter, and share a plausible conclusion. Introduction 3:
