NCERT 7th Class (CBSE) Social Science: Media and Democracy

Question: In what ways does media play an important role in a democracy?

Answer: Media plays an important role in a democracy. It provides news and discusses events taking place in the country and the world. It is on the basis of this information that we learn how the government works.

1. Media also criticises the unpopular policies and programmes that the government takes.
2. Media forms public opinion.
3. Media acknowledges us with several current issues.
4. Media provides awareness among masses.

Question: Why are some advertisements shown repeatedly on the television screen?

Answer: Same advertisements are shown repeatedly on the television screen just to make people’s mind to go out and buy what is advertised.

Question: What are the various ways through which people express their dissatisfaction to any of the government’s decision which does not go in their favour?

Answer: They do so by writing letters to the concerned minister, organising a public protest, starting a signature campaigns and asking the government to rethink its programme, etc.

Question: What do you mean by a balanced report? Why is it necessary for media to be independent?

Answer: A balanced report is one that discusses all points of view of a particular story and then leaves it to the readers to make up their minds. Only then media can write a balanced report.

Question: Why does media sometimes focus on a particular aspect of a story?

Answer: It is because media believes that this will make the story interesting.

Question: What does media’s close relationship with business often mean?

Answer: It means that media will fail to give a balanced report.

How has television brought the world closer to us?

Answer: Television images travel huge distances through satellites and cables. This allows us to view news and entertainment channels from other parts of the world. We see cartoons on our television set which are mostly from Japan and the United States. We can be sitting in Delhi and can see images of Barak Obama’s oath ceremony in the United States. Thus, television has enabled us to think of ourselves as members of a larger global world.

Question: Most television channels and newspapers are part of big business houses. Why?

Answer: The technologies that mass media use keep changing and so a lot of money is spent on getting the latest technology. The TV studio in which the newsreader sits has lights, cameras, sound recorders, transmission satellites etc. All of these cost a lot of money. One thing more, it is not only the newsreader who needs to be paid but also a number of other people who help put the broadcast together. Due to these costs mass media needs a great deal of money to do its various works. As a result, most television channels and newspapers are part of big business houses.