Media & Free Press
📋 What it is
A free press informs citizens and holds power to account; smart citizens check sources.
🗣️ Coach says
A free press — reporters who can investigate and publish freely — helps citizens know what their government is doing and holds power to account. But not everything online is reliable. A smart citizen CHECKS the source, looks for evidence, and tells real reporting from rumour or opinion.
🧠 Memory hook
Free press informs + holds power to account. Smart citizen CHECKS sources: real news vs rumour.
😂 Giggle
Why was the Bill of Rights always invited to parties?
Because it knew everyone's rights — including the right to assemble!
😲 Whoa!
A free press has exposed problems that powerful people wanted hidden — which is why it's sometimes called a "watchdog" of government.
✅ Quick check: Why is checking the SOURCE of news an important civic skill?
Say your answer out loud first — then reveal.
So you can tell reliable reporting from rumour or opinion and make informed decisions as a citizen.
Informed citizenship depends on trustworthy information; checking sources filters out misinformation.
🧪 Try it! (2 minutes)
Take one news claim you saw — how would you check if it's true?