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THE ARTICLE

Journalists around the world are facing ever more increasing dangers, according to media watchdog Reporters without Borders (RSF). In a statement delivered on World Press Freedom Day, RSF reported that 53 correspondents were killed last year, most being murdered, making 2004 the deadliest year since 1995. RSF released an “Enemies of Press Freedom Blacklist” on its website in “an attempt to name all those who have personally committed crimes or grave offences against journalists or media and who are still unpunished.” The organization stated: “It may never have been as dangerous to inform people.…Freedom of the press is far from being assured around the world.”

Iraq, unsurprisingly, was cited as the world’s most dangerous country for journalists. A total of 56 reporters have been killed there in two years, compared with 49 deaths during the 1991-1995 wars in Yugoslavia. Vietnam is the costliest war: a total of 63 journalists were killed, but that was over a 20-year period from 1955 to 1975. Asia is the second deadliest place to report from, with sixteen journalist deaths last year. RSF put their spotlight on three countries: “Denouncing the corruption of elected officials or investigating crime turned out to be fatal for journalists in Bangladesh, Philippines and Sri Lanka.” Meanwhile, in Pakistan yesterday, nine journalists were injured when police with batons charged them during a press freedom rally. RSF says violence is a “daily reality” for Pakistani journalists.

WARM UPS

1. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics look most interesting:

journalists / freedom of the press / dangerous jobs / the world’s most dangerous country / Bangladesh / Philippines / Sri Lanka / Pakistan

Have a chat about the ones you liked. For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently.

2. JOURNALIST: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word “journalist”. Share your words with your partner / group and talk about them.

3. “I’M A REPORTER”: Pretend you are a reporter. Decide what kind of reporter you are (fashion, news, sport etc) and talk to the other “reporters” in the class about your daily life as a journalist.

4. TOPICS: Look at the following list of news topics. Choose three you would love to report on and three you haze zero interest in. Compare your choices with your partner’s explain your reasons:

5. COOL JOB: Being an international correspondent sounds like a cool job. Which of the following “perks” of the job sound most appealing or attractive to you?

1. You get to travel around the world.
2. Your friends and family see you on TV.
3. You get to see amazing things happening.
4. You meet world leaders.
5. You have the opportunity to change people’s lives with your reports.
6. The money must be good.
7. Telling people you’re an international correspondent sounds cool.
8. You can tell the world the truth about tyrants and dictators.
9. You see history in the making.
10. You get a BBC / CNN… T-shirt.

PRE-READING IDEAS

1. WORD SEARCH: Use your dictionary / computer to find word partners (collocates), other meanings, synonyms or more information on the words ‘press’ and ‘freedom’.

2. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

1. Journalists around the world are facing ever more increasing dangers.  T / F
2. Last year was the deadliest year ever for correspondents.  T / F
3. There is a blacklist of people who committed crimes against journalists.  T / F
4. Freedom of the press is close to being assured around the world.  T / F
5. Somalia was cited as world’s most dangerous country for journalists.  T / F
6. Vietnam is the costliest war in terms of journalist deaths.  T / F
7. Asia is the second deadliest place in the world to report from.  T / F
8. Pakistani journalists were killed by police at a press freedom rally.  T / F

3. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

4. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

WHILE READING ACTIVITIES

1. WHICH WORD? Circle the word in the pairs of italicized words you think is correct.

Journalism becoming deadlier

Journalists around the world are facing / backing ever more increasing dangers, according to media watchdog Reporters without Borders (RSF). In a statement delivered on World Press Freedom Day, RSF reported that 53 correspondents were butchered / killed last year, most being murdered, making 2004 the deadliest year since 1995. RSF released an “Enemies of Press Freedom Blacklist” on its website in “an attempt to name all those who have personally committed crimes or grave / engraving offences against journalists or media and who are still unpunished.” The organization stated: “It may never have been as dangerous to inform / reform people.…Freedom of the press is far from being insured / assured around the world.”

Iraq, unsurprisingly, was sited / cited as the world’s most dangerous country for journalists. A total of 56 reporters have been killed there in two years, compared with 49 deaths during the 1991-1995 wars in Yugoslavia. Vietnam is the costliest / most exorbitant war: a total of 63 journalists were killed, but that was over a 20-year period from 1955 to 1975. Asia is the second deadliest place to report / recite from, with sixteen journalist deaths last year. RSF put their highlight / spotlight on three countries: “Denouncing the corruption of elected / erected officials or investigating crime turned out to be fatal for journalists in Bangladesh, Philippines and Sri Lanka.” Meanwhile, in Pakistan yesterday, nine journalists were injured when police with batons charged them during a press freedom rally. RSF says violence is a “daily reality” for Pakistani journalists.

2. TRUE/FALSE: Check your answers to the T/F exercise.

3. SYNONYM MATCH: Check your answers to this exercise.

4. PHRASE MATCH: Check your answers to this exercise.

5. QUESTIONS: Make notes for questions you would like to ask the class about the article.

6. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

POST READING IDEAS

1. WHICH WORD? Check your answers to this exercise. How would the words that you didn’t circle change the meaning of the sentence?

2. QUESTIONS: Ask the discussion questions you thought of above to your partner / group / class. Pool the questions for everyone to share.

3. VOCABULARY: As a class, go over the vocabulary students circled above.

4. STUDENT JOURNALIST SURVEY: In pairs/groups write down questions about journalists. Ask other classmates your questions and report back to your original partner/ group to compare your findings.

5. ‘PRESS’ / ‘FREEDOM’: Make questions based on your findings from pre-reading activity #1. Ask your partner / group your questions.

6. DISCUSSION:

1. Did you like this article?
2. Do you have more respect for journalists after reading this article?
3. Would you like to be a journalist?
4. What qualities are needed to be a top journalist?
5. Do you have what it takes to be a journalist?
6. Are there any particular journalists you respect?
7. What kind of lifestyle do you envisage an international correspondent to have?
8. Which news agencies or TV stations have the best journalists?
9. How important are journalists?
10. What kind of journalism is bad journalism?
11. Are the paparazzi real journalists?
12. Why do people want to report the news knowing their lives may be in danger?
13. Would you have gone to Iraq as an embedded journalist during the Iraq War?
14. If you turned to journalism, on which topic would you report?
15. Can you think of a more interesting job than a BBC or CNN world affairs reporter?
16. Which is better, CNN or the BBC?
17. Can you trust the truthfulness of journalism in your country?
18. Is there freedom of the press in your country?
19. Is there freedom of the press in countries like the USA or the UK?
20. Did you like this discussion?
21. Teacher / Student additional questions.

7. AT THE SCENE: You are a news reporter at the scene of some breaking(ish) news. In pairs / groups, choose your story (one that is currently in the news) and create a report that you will soon have to give in front of TV cameras. When you have finished, present your report to a different partner / group. Your new partners will ask you questions about your story. The following table may help you piece together your news item:

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find information on Reporters without Borders (RSF). Share your findings with your class in the next lesson.

3. LOCAL NEWS: Write a news report on an item of very local news – perhaps in your neighbourhood or even within your own family. Report your news to the class next lesson.

4. A DAY IN THE LIFE: Imagine you are a news reporter in a different part of the world. Write your diary / journal entry for one day in your life. Tell your classmates what you wrote in your next lesson.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

1. Journalists around the world are facing ever more increasing dangers.  T
2. Last year was the deadliest year ever for correspondents.  F
3. There is a blacklist of people who committed crimes against journalists.  T
4. Freedom of the press is close to being assured around the world.  F
5. Somalia was cited as world’s most dangerous country for journalists.  F
6. Vietnam is the costliest war in terms of journalist deaths.  T
7. Asia is the second deadliest place in the world to report from.  T
8. Pakistani journalists were killed by police at a press freedom rally.  F

SYNONYM MATCH:

PHRASE MATCH:

WHICH WORD?

Journalism becoming deadlier

Journalists around the world are facing ever more increasing dangers, according to media watchdog Reporters without Borders (RSF). In a statement delivered on World Press Freedom Day, RSF reported that 53 correspondents were killed last year, most being murdered, making 2004 the deadliest year since 1995. RSF released an “Enemies of Press Freedom Blacklist” on its website in “an attempt to name all those who have personally committed crimes or grave offences against journalists or media and who are still unpunished.” The organization stated: “It may never have been as dangerous to inform people.…Freedom of the press is far from being assured around the world.”

Iraq, unsurprisingly, was cited as the world’s most dangerous country for journalists. A total of 56 reporters have been killed there in two years, compared with 49 deaths during the 1991-1995 wars in Yugoslavia. Vietnam is the costliest war: a total of 63 journalists were killed, but that was over a 20-year period from 1955 to 1975. Asia is the second deadliest place to report from, with sixteen journalist deaths last year. RSF put their spotlight on three countries: “Denouncing the corruption of elected officials or investigating crime turned out to be fatal for journalists in Bangladesh, Philippines and Sri Lanka.” Meanwhile, in Pakistan yesterday, nine journalists were injured when police with batons charged them during a press freedom rally. RSF says violence is a “daily reality” for Pakistani journalists.