What happens to the media during elections? Lesson 5 of 6

What happens to the media during elections?

This lesson is part 5 of a sequence of 6 lessons addressing the key enquiry: How can we become the future political leaders?

In this lesson, students explore the role of the media during elections, examining how regulations, laws, and media influence shape public perception and political outcomes. They discuss key issues such as the need for a pre-election period, party advertising budgets, equal media airtime, and the impact of social media on modern elections. Through discussions, debates, and critical analysis, students develop media literacy by assessing the reliability of sources and understanding how political bias in newspapers can affect the electorate. A key case study focuses on the EU Referendum, demonstrating how different newspapers framed the same issue in contrasting ways.

Students engage in various activities, including knowledge checks, discussions, and a written task on the media’s role in informing voters. The lesson culminates in a debate on whether newspapers should be fair and balanced or have the freedom to influence voting choices. Through this, students enhance their critical thinking and argumentation skills while reflecting on how media shapes democracy. A takeaway task encourages further exploration of careers in politics, connecting the lesson’s themes to real-world leadership roles.

Students will work towards answering the following questions:

1. How does the media operate during election time?
2. How important is the media’s role in informing the electorate?
3. Should newspapers be fair and balanced?

This unit of work forms part of our model core curriculum, which is exclusively available to School and College Members. Check out the full key stage 4 curriculum overview map here.