Question

Some believe that watching the news on TV and reading newspapers is a waste of time because the news has no relevance to people’s lives. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Model Answer

The modern media requires an increasing amount of content to fill our screens. This demand has led to a greater volume of news coverage than ever before. Some argue that this constant litany of often negative news is not worth following, as it has little impact on an individual's day-to-day life. Personally, I disagree with this perspective as an informed electorate is essential to a functioning democracy.

The main reason that people should watch the news is so that they can make informed decisions about how to vote. Politics often deals with complex issues which develop over a long period of time. It is not possible to only tune into the news cycle once every four years and expect to understand the issues at hand. For this reason, people should stay abreast of topical issues in order to have the depth of knowledge necessary to support their political opinions. After all, politics affects all our lives in one way or another.

That being said, not all news is worthy of our time. After all, TV channels and newspapers are required to produce stories even on those days when nothing important is happening. This can lead to quite trivial stories being given more attention than they deserve. People need to use their common sense when deciding which stories are likely to affect their lives and which are merely tittle tattle.

In conclusion, people have a responsibility to stay up to date with current affairs but this need not mean slavishly watching every news bulletin or reading every paper.

(260 words)