Should The Media Report on Celebries? (Task 2 Writing)

The following topic occurred several times on IELTS exams in 2013. Read the excellent sample answer below and look for:

• The writer's main opinion, stated clearly in the introduction paragraph of the essay.
• Two reasons to support the main opinion.
• Specific examples, including detailed descriptions to support the reasons.
• A conclusion that summarises the ideas and restates the writer's opinion.

Nowadays, the media spends far more time reporting on celebrity gossip when they should be covering more serious issues. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Give reasons and examples to support your answer.

There has been some debate in recent years about whether newspapers and other media spend too much time reporting about celebrities. Although information about celebrities can be interesting, my belief is that the purpose of newspapers is to report only on essential world events. In the following essay, I will outline the reasons for this view.

Undoubtedly, the world is more interconnected than ever before. We are global citizens, and as such, we have a responsibility to learn about the world around us. Events such as natural disasters, political uprisings, and humanitarian crises have a significant impact on our lives. Unfortunately though, we sometimes fail to hear about these important occurrences because our media outlets are full of stories about Beyonce and Lady Gaga. This is not to say that celebrities are entirely unimportant, only that their private lives do not belong alongside the normal news.

Secondly, although celebrities are public figures to a certain degree, they still have a right to privacy. So-called celebrity news tends to report only the worst and most salacious stories about sex and drugs. We should not entertain ourselves by enjoying their misfortunes and sorrows. Aside from invading the privacy of the famous person being discussed, these stories also serve as a negative influence on children. If celebrity news must be reported, I believe that it should focus on the good deeds of well-known individuals rather than their terrible mistakes.

Thanks to the internet, we all have a great deal of information at our fingertips. While it might be interesting to keep up with celebrity news now and then, I believe that the main focus of mainstream media should be to keep us informed about serious issues in the world. With the proper information, we may be able to make the world a better place.

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