The rest of the press

If you go into any well-stocked newsagent in Britain, you will not find only newspapers. You will also see rows and rows of magazines catering for almost every imaginable taste and specializing in almost every imaginable pastime. There are around 3000 consumer magazines published in the country and about four million copies are sold every month. The vast majority of those sales are of ‘women’s interest’ magazines and (even more so) magazines which list all the TV and radio programmes for the coming week. The best known of these is the Radio Times, which also contains some fifty pages of articles. (The magazine was first produced before television existed and has never felt compelled to update its title.)

There are also a few publications dealing with news and current affairs. Some of these periodicals, such the New Statesman and The Spectator, are quite widely read. In terms of sales, two of them in particular stand out. One is the Economist, which is of the same type as Time, Newsweek, Der Spiegel and L'Express. It is fairly obviously right of centre in its views, but the writing is very high quality and that is why it has the reputation of being one of the best weeklies in the world. (In fact, it sells five times as many copies abroad as it does in Britain itself.)

The other is very different. Private Eye is a satirical magazine which makes fun of all parties and politicians, and also makes fun of the mainstream press. It also has a serious side, unearthing corruption in public life. Because of this combination of, often rather 'schoolboyish, humour and investigative journalism, it is forever defending itself in legal actions.

Explain and translate the following words and expressions from the text:

1. to receive no government subsidy

2. a vital source of income

3. to be in long-term decline

4. rival

5. an alternative source (for)

6. circulation

7. outlook

8. to be in favour of

9. to cater for

10. tabloid/broadsheet distinction

11. to exaggerate

12. to cover the topics

13. to feel compelled

14. to update the title

15. mainstream (press)

16. to unearth.

Task 1

Answer the questions:

What role does the press play in Great Britain today?

What are the two types of national newspapers? Give examples.

What is the size of British newspapers today?

Look at the chart. How can it characterize British press and British people?

What ‘other’ newspapers and magazines are mentioned in the text? Are they widely read?

Task 2

Find Internet versions of the newspapers mentioned in the text. Characterise them. What sort of information can we find on the sites of these newspapers?

Task 3

Speak about Russian newspapers and magazines. Which of them do you read? Why?

Task 4

Make up a dialogue. One of you reads only quality press, the other prefers tabloids. Discuss your favourite newspapers and magazines.

Task 5

Be ready to speak on the topic “British Press”

Дата добавления: 2014-12-16