What is a free press and why is it important for democracy? Lesson 4 of 6
GCSE • Politics, Parliament and Government • Model curriculum
What is a free press and why is it important for democracy?
This lesson is part 4 of a sequence of 6 lessons addressing the key enquiry: What are the strengths and weaknesses of the UK as a parliamentary democracy?
This lesson delves into the concept of press freedom, its importance in democracy, and the challenges it faces worldwide. Building on previous learning, students analyze case studies from four countries—India, Norway, New Zealand, and Turkmenistan—to evaluate varying levels of press freedom. They explore key elements such as freedom from interference, transparency, and accountability, discussing the role of a free press in holding governments accountable and fostering democratic ideals. The lesson emphasises the complexities of media censorship, encouraging critical thinking about its acceptability in different contexts, such as moral or military concerns.
Through structured activities—including retrieval tasks, discussions, a mind map, and evaluative exercises—students synthesise information and apply their understanding to real-world scenarios. The use of the World Press Freedom Index and case studies fosters analytical and comparative skills. A plenary discussion on censorship and an optional takeaway task to create a press freedom law extend learning beyond the classroom, engaging students with practical and ethical dimensions of media in democracy.
This lesson has been designed for delivery as a double lesson. Timings for each task are given as guidelines.
Students will work towards answering the following questions:
- What is a free press?
- Why is press freedom important in a democracy?
- How free is the press in different countries?
- Why might information be censored?
- Is it ever acceptable to control the media?
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