Is the free press free everywhere?
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain what press freedom is and how it varies across the world.
Key learning points
- In some countries, censorship restricts press freedom by controlling what can be reported.
- Journalists may face punishment or imprisonment for reporting on certain topics.
- A free press is essential for democracy but is limited by government control in some countries.
Keywords
Free press - the right of media to report news and express opinions without government censorship or interference
Censorship - the control of information or ideas within a society
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
All democracies have a free press.
Democracies generally support press freedom; some still have restrictions and controls.
Teacher tip
The levels of press freedom across the world can change and evolve over time. When using case studies always check that information is up-to-date and include any changes that have occurred.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of serious crime
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What are citizens in non-democratic governments more likely to experience?
Q2.Which of the following is a key feature of a democratic system?
Q3.To be considered democratic, a country must have key features such as free and fair elections, a multi-party system and protection of rights.
Q4.Match each key feature of a democracy to its correct description.
elections are unbiased and everyone has the right to vote
no single political party dominates and others can compete
examples include protecting free speech and allowing people to protest
people actively participate in politics, expressing opinions
laws apply equally to all, ensuring fairness in society
different branches of power have distinct roles
Q5.A government is one where power is concentrated in the hands of a single leader or small group, and citizens have limited influence in decision-making.
Q6.How does the use of censorship benefit non-democratic governments?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match each term to its correct definition.
the right of media to report news without government interference
the control of information or ideas within a society
a system of government where citizens vote in regular, fair elections
Q2.Which statement is true?
Q3.Can censorship occur in democratic countries?
Q4.Order the countries from highest to lowest, based on their press freedom ranking in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index.
Q5.A press ensures transparency, informs the public and holds leaders accountable, which are fundamental in a democracy.
Q6.Reporters without Borders believe that is crucial for raising awareness about the risk journalists face and call for global protection of their rights.
To help you plan your 10 citizenship lesson on: Is the free press free everywhere?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 citizenship lesson on: Is the free press free everywhere?, 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 4 citizenship lessons from the How do democratic systems work around the world? unit, dive into the full secondary citizenship curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.