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Year 11

What is a free press and why is it important for democracy?

I can explain what a free press is and its importance in a democracy.

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Share activities with pupils
New
New
Year 11

What is a free press and why is it important for democracy?

I can explain what a free press is and its importance in a democracy.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A free press is the right for the media to publish and share information and opinions without interference.
  2. A free press allows for freedom, transparency and accountability.
  3. A free press can support and hinder democracy in the UK.

Keywords

  • Free press - the right of media to report news and express opinions without government censorship or interference

  • Democracy - a system of government in which citizens vote in regular, fair elections for representatives who then make laws and decisions on their behalf

Common misconception

Media outlets are always factual and not bias.

Media outlets strive to report factual information. However, they can still exhbit media bias that can be linked to political affiliations and concentration of media ownership.


To help you plan your year 11 citizenship lesson on: What is a free press and why is it important for democracy?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Use a current case study and present at least three contrasting media sources to help pupils identify how language, tone and focus can vary in the reporting of the same event. This helps pupils to build critical thinking and media literacy skills.
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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
A is a system of government in which citizens vote in regular, fair elections for representatives who then make laws and decisions on their behalf.

Correct Answer: democracy, representative democracy

Q2.
What is the best definition of accountability?

taking credit when a group succeeds in a task or project
Correct answer: being responsible and able to explain actions to others
following rules without question or making personal input
giving tasks to others to avoid facing consequences alone

Q3.
Which of these are ways leaders are held accountable?

Correct answer: debates in Parliament
Correct answer: parliamentary inquiries
Correct answer: questioning
opening of Parliament

Q4.
Which of these are ways citizens can hold leaders to account?

Correct answer: using social media to challenge decisions and engage with leaders directly
debating in the House of Commons
Correct answer: getting in contact with their local representatives

Q5.
In the UK, power is divided among three branches to prevent any one person or group from holding all the power. This is known as a of powers.

Correct Answer: separation

Q6.
Which of these does the separation of powers allow for?

Correct answer: accountability
Correct answer: checks and balances
complete control
Correct answer: scrutiny

Assessment exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
A press is important in democracy because it allows the media to publish stories without being controlled by the Government.

Correct Answer: free

Q2.
Which of the following is a reason why a free press is important for a democratic society?

it promotes only positive news
it allows governments to hide mistakes
Correct answer: it helps hold leaders accountable

Q3.
Which statement is most accurate about the media?

all opinions in the media are false
Correct answer: media can be biased
all media is always neutral
bias in media is illegal in the UK

Q4.
Which of these are benefits of being aware of media bias?

citizens trust everything they see on social media
citizens avoid reading or watch any news
Correct answer: citizens think more critically by spotting unfair reporting
Correct answer: citizens are aware that different perspectives exist

Q5.
The media supports democracy by helping people make decisions in elections.

Correct Answer: informed, knowledgeable

Q6.
Match the example to whether the media supports or hinders democracy in the UK.

Correct Answer:investigative journalism,supports

supports

Correct Answer:concentration of media ownership,hinders

hinders

Correct Answer:media bias,could be both

could be both