NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Civics Chapter 6 Understanding Media

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Social Science Civics Chapter 6 On Equality contains the answers to the exercises given in the NCERT History book. These solutions are easy and accurate that help you to answer the questions asked in the examinations. NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Civics Chapter 6 are prepared by our subject experts in very easy language. Practice these solutions regularly to ensure excellent marks in the exams.

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Social Science Civics Chapter 6

Question 1: In what ways does the media play an important role in a democracy?

Answer: Media plays an important role in democracy, as it provides news and details of events taking place around the country and all over the world. It also acts as a watchdog to the conduct of the government by:

• Criticising the unpopular policies and programs that the government undertakes
• Highlighting and even to a certain extent, influencing public opinion
• Acknowledging several current issues
• Spreading awareness among the general masses

Question 2: Can you give this diagram a title? What do you understand about the link between media and big business from this diagram?

Answer: “Corporate Controlled Media” can be a suitable title for the diagram. The diagram provides us with two interesting aspects:

• In order to promote their products, business houses place advertisements in various media like newspapers, TV, radio etc. These advertisements influence the readers or viewers to buy products. Thus, money invested by the big business houses in advertisements comes back to them by sale of their products. It also indicates products’ advertisements increase the cost of the products.
• Big corporates own TV channels, magazines and other media industries. They advertise their products through various media and influence people to buy their products. Since the business giants own the media houses, there are high chances of unfair reporting about their products. This may lead to customers making wrong buying decisions.

Question 3: You have read about the ways in which the media ‘sets the agenda’. What kind of effect does this have in a democracy? Provide two examples to support your point of view.

Answer: It is evident that media has immense influence on the people by focusing on few issues. This can have negative effect on our democracy. The media also plays an important role in

deciding what stories to focus on, and therefore, decides on what is newsworthy. Sometimes, it misses out on more significant events and covers unnecessary events that may attract people. If media focuses on one side of the issue, it can influence our thoughts and actions. People may make biased decisions. Rather, media should provide a balanced report and leave it to the audience to decide. A balanced report will help people in a democracy make right informed decisions.

Examples:

On a positive note, media highlighted social crimes under the name of “honour killing” by “caste panchayats” or narrow-minded families and communities. This helped people become aware of the social issue.

• India is the second most agriculture led country after USA. On a negative side, media (specially private channels) hardly broadcasts programmes on agriculture to educate farmers. Rather these channels air “SaasBahu serials” 24 hours a day. Even news channels have dedicated shows to cover “Page 3 masala”, but they hardly run any show on technical education.

Question 4: As a class project, decide to focus on a particular news topic and cut out

stories from different newspapers on this. Also watch the coverage of this topic on TV news. Compare two newspapers and write down the similarity and differences in their reports. It might help to ask the following questions –

a. What information is this article providing?
b. What information is it leaving out?
c. From whose point of view is the article being written?
d. Whose point of view is being left out and why?

Answer: Take two different newspapers. For example, “The Times of India” and “Hindustan Times”. Go through both the papers of the same day. Choose any particular news heading in both the papers. Also watch the different TV Channels for this particular newsheading, and answer the questions given with the help of newspaper cuttings and news watched on different TV channels.

Extra Questions

Very Short Answer Questions

1. What is media?

Answer: Media is the plural form of the word “medium” and it describes the various ways through which we communicate in society.

2. What is mass media?

Answer: Media refers to all means of communication; everything ranging from a phone call to the evening news on TV. TV, radio and newspapers are forms of media. Since they reach millions of people or the masses, across the country and the world are thus called mass media.

3. Define publishing.

Answer: This refers to newspapers, articles, interviews, stories, etc. that are printed in newspapers, magazines and books for a wide audience to read.

4. What is censorship?

Answer: This refers to the powers that the government has to disallow media from publishing or showing certain stories.

5. Define broadcast.

Answer: It is a word used to refer to a TV or a radio progamme that is widely transmitted.

6. What is public protest?

Answer: When a large number of people come together and openly state their opposition to some issue, it is called public protest. Organising a rally, starting a signature campaign, blocking roads etc. are some of the ways in which it is done.

7. What is a balanced report?

Answer: A balanced report is the one that discusses a particular story from all perspectives and then leaves it to readers to make up their minds.

Short Answer Questions

1. Does media give a balanced report?

Answer: (i) Writing a balanced report depends on an independent media.

(ii) No one should influence and control the coverage of news.

(iii) No one should tell the media as to what is to be included and what is not to be included in the news.

(iv) If the information is reliable and not biased then only it is balanced.

2. How do we know that media is not independent?

Answer: Media is not independent because of two reasons:

(i) Government at times controls the media from sharing many news with the larger public. This is called censorship. In India, it was done during the emergency of 1975–1977.

(ii) Media channels are controlled by big corporate houses so that focus is on the side of the story which suits them or favours those who give them money through advertisements.

3. Give an example to show that media fails on issues which are significant in our lives.

Answer: (i) Several instances show that media fails to focus on issues which are significant in our lives.

(ii) For example, drinking water is a major problem in the country.

(iii) However, we seldom find the media discussing the issue.

(iv) A well-known Indian journalist wrote how the fashion week, in which cloth designers show their designs, formed the front page headlines of all the newspapers, while several slums were being demolished in Mumbai the same week, which went unnoticed.

4. How does media play an important role in deciding what stories to focus on?

Answer: (i) The media plays an important role in deciding what stories to focus on and, therefore, decides on what is newsworthy.

(ii) For example, the annual function at your school is unlikely to make news.

(iii) But if a famous actor is invited as the Chief Guest, then the media might be interested in covering it.

(iv) By focusing on particular issues, the media influences our thoughts and brings those issues to our attention.

(v) Due to this significant influence, it is said that media sets the agenda.

5. Give an example of positive influence of media reporting.

Answer: (i) Recently in 2015, media drew attention towards more than alarming level of lead (7 times the permissible level) in a package of maggie-2 minute noodle.

(ii) Maggie was banned nationwide.

(iii) It made us aware about the Maggi health scare.

(iv) In covering this, media positively helped us to focus on an issue that affects our lives and how FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) pronounced. Maggie ‘Unsafe and hazardous for human consumption.’

6. What does TV do for us?

Answer: (i) TV helps to shape our views of the world, our beliefs, attitudes and values.

(ii) We need to realise that it gives us a partial view of the world.

(iii) We should always be aware of the large exciting world beyond our TV screen.

(iv) Active viewers enjoy TV as a mode of entertainment and information.

7. What is the reality of working of media?

Answer: The media has a very important role to play in our lives.

• Through the media, we hear about issues related to the working of the government.
• The media decides what to focus on and in this way it sets the agenda.
• If the government prevents the media from publishing the news, it is called censorship.
• Now-a-days media, close relationship with business often means that a balanced report is difficult to come up.
• Thus, a factual information which a newspaper gives may not be complete and may be one-sided.

Long Answer Questions

1. How has technology helped media?

Answer: (i) Mass media has become popular due to the advent of the Cable Television and the Internet.

(ii) Changing technology or machines and making technology more modern has helped media reach more people.

(iii) It has even improved the quality of sound and the images people get to see.

(iv) Media also influences our thoughts and expressions.

(v) It gives a virtual platform to think ourselves as a part of the global world.

(vi) TV images travel huge distances through satellites and cables.

(vii) Television has brought the world closer to us.

2. Why is local media gaining prominence? Give an example.

Answer: (i) Recognising that the media will not be interested in covering small issues that involve ordinary people and their daily lives, several local groups have come forward to start their own media.

(ii) For instance, community radio is used to tell farmers about seeds and fertilisers.

(iii) Others make documentary films on real-life conditions faced by different poor communities.

(iv) Another example is a newspaper called Khabar Lahriya run by eight Dalit women in Chitrakoot (UP).

(v) It used Bundeli about local issues like violence against women, Dalit exploitation, etc.

Hots (Higher Order Thinking Skills)

1. How is media closely related to money?

Answer: (i) The different technologies used by media—lights, cameras, sound recorders, transmission satellites, etc.—cost a lot of money.

(ii) In a newsroom along with the newsreader, there are a number of people who help put the broadcast together.

(iii) Mass media, therefore needs a great deal of money to do its work. Media uses a number of ways to earn money.

(iv) One way is by advertising different things like cars, chocolates, clothes, etc.

Class 7 Civics Chapter 6 NCERT Questions and Answers

CBSE Solutions for Class 7 Social Science Civics Chapter 6 Understanding Media are given above. All our solutions are updated as per the latest CBSE Syllabus and Guidelines. Download these NCERT solutions for free from our app and use offline.