Exercise 1
Choose the correct word to complete each sentence about media, news, and entertainment.
Example: The journalist wrote a long _____ about the election results. (article / channel / broadcast)
Answer: The journalist wrote a long article about the election results.
Media, News and Entertainment: Essential Vocabulary for Everyday Life
Whether you are scrolling through social media, watching a film, listening to a podcast, or reading the headlines on your phone, media, news and entertainment are a huge part of modern life. Understanding the vocabulary connected to this topic will help you talk about your favourite shows, discuss current events, and express your opinions about what you read, watch, and listen to.
A Mini Situation: Talking About the News and TV
Read this short conversation between two friends, Marta and James, to see the vocabulary in a natural context.
"Did you see the documentary about climate change last night?" asked Marta.
"No, I missed it," said James. "I was watching a live broadcast of the football match. But I read an article about it online this morning. Apparently, the journalist who made it won an award."
"It was really informative. I think the media should report on environmental issues more often. I'm going to subscribe to that channel so I don't miss any more episodes."
Now let's look at the key vocabulary from this topic in detail.
Key Vocabulary and Meaning Breakdown
1. Media and News Words
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech and Meaning | Example Sentence | Collocations / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| media | noun (uncountable) — the organisations and platforms that communicate news and information to the public, such as TV, radio, newspapers, and websites | The media plays an important role in keeping people informed about world events. | social media; the media reports; mass media; media coverage |
| headline | noun — the title at the top of a newspaper or online article, usually written in large letters | I always read the headlines in the morning to find out what is happening in the world. | front-page headline; make the headlines; scan the headlines |
| article | noun — a piece of writing in a newspaper, magazine, or website about a particular subject | She wrote an interesting article about the local elections for the school newspaper. | read an article; write an article; online article; newspaper article |
| broadcast | noun / verb — a programme that is sent out on radio or television; to send out a programme on radio or TV | The news broadcast started at 9 o'clock. / They broadcast the match live on national television. | live broadcast; radio broadcast; broadcast news; broadcast to millions |
| journalist | noun — a person whose job is to collect and report news for newspapers, TV, radio, or online platforms | The journalist interviewed the prime minister about the new education policy. | a local/international journalist; a journalist reports on something; investigative journalist |
| report | noun / verb — a detailed account of an event or situation; to give information about something that has happened | The news channel published a detailed report about the earthquake. / Journalists reported on the story from the scene. | news report; a report on something; report live from; eyewitness report |
| current affairs | noun (plural) — events and issues that are happening in the world at the present time | My teacher encourages us to follow current affairs so we can discuss important issues in class. | follow current affairs; a current affairs programme; up to date with current affairs |
| editorial | noun / adjective — an article in a newspaper that expresses the opinion of the editor; relating to the editing of a publication | The newspaper's editorial criticised the government's decision to cut school funding. | write an editorial; editorial opinion; editorial team; editorial standards |
| bias | noun — a tendency to prefer one side, opinion, or point of view in a way that is unfair | Some people believe that certain newspapers show a political bias in the way they report the news. | show bias; political bias; media bias; biased reporting |
| reliable | adjective — able to be trusted to be accurate and truthful | It is important to get your news from a reliable source so that you know the information is accurate. | a reliable source; reliable information; completely reliable; reliable news |
2. Entertainment and Digital Media Words
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech and Meaning | Example Sentence | Collocations / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| documentary | noun — a film or TV programme that gives facts and information about a real topic or event | We watched a fascinating documentary about the history of ancient Egypt. | watch a documentary; make a documentary; a nature/historical documentary; documentary series |
| series | noun — a set of television or radio programmes about the same subject or with the same characters | I've been watching a new crime series on the streaming platform — it's absolutely gripping! | a TV series; a new series; series one/two; a popular series; binge a series |
| episode | noun — one programme in a series of programmes on television or radio | I stayed up late to watch the final episode of my favourite drama. | the latest episode; miss an episode; a new episode; binge episodes |
| stream | verb / noun — to watch or listen to video or music content directly from the internet without downloading it | More and more people prefer to stream films at home rather than go to the cinema. | stream a film/series; streaming service; streaming platform; live stream |
| subscribe | verb — to pay regularly for access to a service, magazine, or channel, or to sign up to receive online content | You need to subscribe to the platform to watch all the films without adverts. | subscribe to a channel/service; monthly subscription; unsubscribe from; subscribe for free |
| podcast | noun — a digital audio programme that you can download or stream and listen to at any time | I listen to a history podcast on my way to work every morning. | listen to a podcast; download a podcast; a weekly podcast; host a podcast; podcast episode |
| celebrity | noun — a famous person, especially in entertainment, sport, or the media | The celebrity gave an interview about her latest film to a popular magazine. | a famous celebrity; celebrity news; celebrity culture; local celebrity |
| review | noun / verb — a piece of writing or a comment that gives an opinion about a film, book, restaurant, or product; to write or give such an opinion | The film received excellent reviews from critics all over the world. / She reviewed the new album for an online magazine. | write a review; positive/negative review; film/book review; read a review; give something a good review |
| audience | noun — the people watching or listening to a show, film, or event, either in person or at home | The comedy show attracted a large audience of all ages. | a large/small audience; a target audience; live audience; audience figures; reach an audience |
| channel | noun — a television or radio station; also used to describe an online video account (e.g. on YouTube) | My parents always watch the news on the same channel every evening. | TV channel; change the channel; a YouTube channel; subscribe to a channel; switch channels |
3. Social Media and Online Communication Words
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech and Meaning | Example Sentence | Collocations / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| post | noun / verb — a piece of content shared on social media or a website; to share content online | She wrote a post about her travel experience and got hundreds of comments. / He posted a video of his concert on social media. | social media post; post a photo/video; post online; a popular post |
| scroll | verb — to move up or down through content on a screen | I spent an hour scrolling through my social media feed before I realised how much time had passed. | scroll through; scroll down/up; scroll through your feed; endless scrolling |
| influencer | noun — a person with a large number of followers on social media who influences the opinions or choices of others | The influencer promoted the new sports drink to her five million followers on social media. | a social media influencer; a popular influencer; work as an influencer; follow an influencer |
| go viral | phrasal verb — to spread very quickly and widely across the internet, often reaching millions of people in a short time | The funny video of the dog went viral and received over ten million views in just two days. | go viral on social media; a video/post goes viral; viral content; viral video |
| fake news | noun — false information that is presented as if it were real news, often shared on the internet to mislead people | It is important to check the source of a story carefully before sharing it, as fake news spreads very quickly online. | spread fake news; identify fake news; fake news story; fake news online |
Collocations and Useful Expressions
Learning words on their own is useful, but learning which words naturally go together will make your English sound much more natural. Study these common collocations and expressions connected to media, news, and entertainment.
watch + a documentary / a series / the news / a live broadcast
We watched a brilliant documentary about ocean life on Saturday evening.
read + an article / the headlines / a review / a newspaper
I always read the headlines on my phone before I get out of bed in the morning.
follow + current affairs / the news / a journalist / a channel
She follows current affairs closely because she wants to work in politics one day.
make + a documentary / a film / a programme / a podcast
The students made a short documentary about life in their town for a school project.
report + on something / live from somewhere
The journalist reported live from the scene of the accident.
subscribe + to a channel / to a service / to a newsletter
I subscribed to a streaming service so I could watch the new series as soon as it came out.
go + viral / live / online
The interview went viral after a famous celebrity shared it on social media.
get + information / news / updates / your news from somewhere
Most young people get their news from social media rather than from newspapers.
express + an opinion / a view / your thoughts
The editorial expressed a strong opinion about the government's new media law.
keep up with + the news / current affairs / the latest episodes
It can be difficult to keep up with the news when you are very busy.
Important Differences and Confusing Words
Programme vs Series vs Episode
These three words are all connected to television, but they have different meanings and are not interchangeable.
- A programme is a general word for any individual show on TV or radio. Did you see that programme about penguins last night?
- A series is a group of related programmes or episodes that belong together, usually following the same story or theme. I've watched all three series of that drama.
- An episode is one single part of a series. I missed last week's episode, so I'll watch it online tonight.
Channel vs Platform
- A channel traditionally refers to a television or radio station (e.g. BBC One, Channel 4). It can also mean a YouTube account. Which channel is the film on tonight?
- A platform refers to an online service or website where content is hosted and shared (e.g. Netflix, YouTube, Spotify). I use a streaming platform to watch series on my laptop.
Journalist vs Reporter vs Presenter
- A journalist is a general term for someone who gathers, writes, and shares news stories. She is an experienced journalist who has worked in many different countries.
- A reporter is a type of journalist who specifically goes to events or locations to collect news, often reporting live. The reporter was standing outside the parliament building when the news broke.
- A presenter is someone who introduces or hosts a TV or radio programme. They do not necessarily research or write the content. The presenter welcomed the guests and introduced the next segment of the show.
Review vs Comment vs Feedback
- A review is a written opinion about a film, book, product, or restaurant, usually by a critic or member of the public on a platform. The film got five-star reviews from most critics.
- A comment is a short response or reaction to something, often left on social media or online articles. She left a comment on the video to say how much she enjoyed it.
- Feedback is more general and refers to information or opinions given in response to something, often in a work or learning context. The teacher gave the students detailed feedback on their essays.
Reliable vs Trustworthy vs Accurate
- Reliable means that you can depend on something or someone to be consistent and correct over time. This website is a reliable source of news.
- Trustworthy describes a person or organisation that you can believe and have confidence in. She is a trustworthy journalist who always checks her facts.
- Accurate means that the information is correct and without mistakes. The report was accurate and well-researched.
Common Mistakes
❌ I watched a programme about politics in the television last night.
✅ on television / on TV — I watched a programme about politics on television last night.
We say "on television" or "on TV", not "in the television".
❌ She reads the news in social media every morning.
✅ on social media — She reads the news on social media every morning.
We say "on social media" (not "in social media"). Similarly, use "on" with specific platforms: on Facebook, on YouTube, on Instagram.
❌ The journalist reported the accident live from the scene in the radio.
✅ on the radio — The journalist reported the accident live from the scene on the radio.
We say "on the radio", "on the news", and "on TV" — always use "on", not "in".
❌ I am very interested to current affairs and I follow the news every day.
✅ interested in — I am very interested in current affairs and I follow the news every day.
"Interested" must be followed by "in", not "to". This is a fixed dependent preposition.
❌ The video became viral and millions of people shared it.
✅ went viral — The video went viral and millions of people shared it.
We use the phrasal verb "go viral" (not "become viral") to describe content that spreads rapidly online.
❌ I subscribed the streaming service last month to watch the new series.
✅ subscribed to — I subscribed to the streaming service last month to watch the new series.
"Subscribe" requires the preposition "to". This is a common dependent preposition error.
❌ The fake news was spread very fast on social media before anyone could stop it.
✅ spread very quickly / spread rapidly — The fake news spread very quickly on social media before anyone could stop it.
In formal and standard English, use "quickly" or "rapidly" as an adverb. "Fast" can also be used as an adverb here, but "quickly" is more natural in this context.
Media, News and Entertainment: Quick Summary and Review
In this lesson, you have learnt a wide range of vocabulary connected to the world of media, news and entertainment. Here are the key points to remember:
- Use words like headline, article, report, and broadcast when talking about the news and journalism.
- Use words like documentary, series, episode, stream, and subscribe when talking about entertainment and digital content.
- Use words like post, scroll, influencer, go viral, and fake news when talking about social media and online content.
- Remember the important dependent prepositions: interested in current affairs, subscribe to a service, and on TV / the radio / social media.
- Do not confuse programme, series, and episode — they refer to different levels of television content.
- Be careful with journalist, reporter, and presenter — they all work in the media, but they have different roles.
- A video or story goes viral — it does not "become viral".
Now practise your media, news and entertainment vocabulary in the exercises below.
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