Television, also called TV, is one of the most important mass media. People with a television set can sit at home and can see and learn about people, animals, and things in faraway lands. Millions of viewers around the world can watch sports events and other events of worldwide interest. TV brings its viewers a steady stream of programmes that are designed to give information and to entertain. In fact, television provides more entertainment programmes than any other kind of mass media. The programmes include sports events, variety shows, quiz shows, feature films, cartoons, fictional serials called soap operas, etc. There are two main kinds of television stations: public stations and commercial stations. Public television stations are supported by the government. They usually broadcast more educational programmes and programmes on cultural subjects. News and current affairs programmes make up an important section of programmes for most public television stations. Commercial television stations are run by private companies. They sell advertising time to pay for their operating costs and to make a profit for the companies that run the stations. People can also subscribe to сable television system. Viewers pay a fee for this service. Cable television signals are delivered to home TVsets of their customers by cables. Some cable systems carry more than one hundred channels - far more than can broadcast even in the largest urban areas-Satellite broadcasting is another form of subscription television. The signals arc transmitted to home TVsets from a direct broadcasiing satellite in space. The viewer must have a dish-receiver aerial to receive the programmes. We may speak about different advantages and drawbacks of television but almost every home has at least one TVset. On average, a TVset is in use for about 7 hours each day. Thus, television is the most effective means of mass communication known to mankind. It has become the people's eyes and ears on the world.
RADIO
Radio is also one of the most important mass media. Radio broadcasts news, discussions, interviews, description of sport events, drama, religious programmes, music, and advertising. There is at least one radio station in every country in the world, and altogether there are more than 25,000 stations all over the world. Radio stations compete with one another. Radio programmes vary from country to country. But in all countries, programmes primarily provide information and entertainment. Programmes that provide information include news and current affairs, live broadcasts of sports events, weather forecasts, talk shows. Many talk shows allow listeners to take part in the programme by telephoning the radio station to ask questions or give their opinions about the topic. Such programmes are sometimes called phoneins. In most countries up to 90 per cent of all programmes are designed for entertainment. Music is a popular kind of radio entertainment. Most music stations specialize in one kind of music, such as pop, classical, jazz or folk music. Some stations broadcast several kinds of music. There are also comedy shows and plays performed «live» or recorded in the studio by actors.A major reason for the widespread use of radios is their portability, which means the ability to be carried around easily. People listen to the radios almost everywhere - at home, in parks, at beaches and picnics, while driving a car, and even while walking along the street. Задание 1.
a) Read, translate, and study the use of the new words to read and discuss the texts and dialogues:(выучите слова)
1) media, mass media. TV is one of the most important mass media.
2) a viewer. Millions of viewers around the world can watch sport events and other events of worldwide interest.
3) a stream, a steady stream. TV brings its viewers a steady stream of programmes.
4) to entertain, entertainment. Television provides more entertainment programmes than any other kind of mass media.
5) a quiz. The programmes include sports events, variety shows, quiz shows, etc.
6) a feature film, a cartoon, a fictional serial. We can watch on TV different kinds of films: feature films, cartoons, fictional serials.
7) an affair, current affairs. News and current affairs programmes make up an important section of programming.
8) to run. Commercial TV stations are run by private companies.
9) to advertise, advertising, advertisement, ad, advertiser. They sell advertising time to play for their operating costs.
10) a profit, to make a profit. They sell advertising time to make a profit for the companies.
11) to subscribe. People can subscribe to cable TV system.
12) a fee, to pay a fee. Viewers pay a fee for this service.
13) to deliver. Cable TV signals are delivered to home TVsets of their customers by cables.
14) to broadcast. The BBC broadcasts to all parts of the world.
15) a satellite. Satellite broadcasting is another form of TV subscription. 16) to transmit. The signals are transmitted to home TVsets from a direct broadcasting satellite in space.
17) to receive, a receiver. The viewer must have a dish-receiver aerial to receive the programmes.
18) an advantage, a drawback. We may speak about advantages and drawbacks of TV, but almost every home has at least one TVset.
19) average, on average. On average, a TVset is in use about 7 hours each day.
20) means. TV is one of the most effective means of communication.
21) to compete. Radio stations compete with one another.
22) forecast. There is a weather forecast every half an hour on this radio station.
23) an ability. The portability means the ability to be carried around easily.
24) a tabloid. I buy one of the weekly newspapers, usually a tabloid.
25) an editorial. I don't read editorials.
26) either. She doesn't read editorials either.
27) to reach. Many kinds of advertising reach people almost everywhere. 28) to annoy, annoying. Advertising is very annoying sometimes.
29) a consumer. Advertising plays a part in the competition among businesses for the consumer's money.
30) a poster Poster ads appear in many buses, in shops in public buildings, and even in the mailboxes.
