How does the media hold those in power to account?
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how the media holds people to account and why those in power should be held accountable.
Key learning points
- Holding people to account ensures those in power are responsible for their actions and decisions.
- The media holds leaders accountable through interviews, the design of front pages and investigative journalism.
- In a democracy, leaders must act fairly and deliver on their promises; it is the media's role to hold them to account.
- Media accountability prevents power misuse and reminds leaders that they serve the public.
Keywords
Media - forms of communication like radio, television, newspapers, magazines and the internet, that reach or influence people
Power - having control or authority over something or someone
Accountable - required to explain, justify and take responsibility for one's actions and to answer to someone, such as a person with more authority
Common misconception
There are no examples of the media holding those in power to account.
There are many examples of the media holding those in power to account, for example, if a politician makes promises about education and doesn't deliver, the media could publish an article about it to hold them to account.
Teacher tip
You could introduce other examples, for example, the Post Office or the infected blood scandals, to explain how the media can hold those in power to account.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is a government called that allows its citizens to vote in free and fair elections?
Q2.The media has a responsibility to set the ...
Q3.What role does the media have in common with the role of a school?
Q4.During what important time does the media support politicians in spreading their messages?
Q5.Match the start of the sentence with its ending.
important events.
raise awareness.
active participation.
Q6.The media should tell us what is happening locally, nationally and ...
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.To make sure those in power are responsible for their actions and decisions, the media need to hold leaders ...
Q2.What do the media not use to get leaders to take responsibility for their actions?
Q3.What does holding leaders responsible prevent?
Q4.Match the start of the sentence with its ending.
involves an in-depth study of a single topic of interest.
having control or authority over something or someone.
leaders must act fairly and deliver on their promises.
Q5.What do campaigns help to raise?
Q6.Who did the expenses scandal focus on in 2009?
To help you plan your 8 citizenship lesson on: How does the media hold those in power to account?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 citizenship lesson on: How does the media hold those in power to account?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 citizenship lessons from the How does the media affect us? unit, dive into the full secondary citizenship curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.