The question
Write about the following topic:
Fewer people today read newspapers or watch the news on television. Instead, many get their news from social media and other online sources.
What are the causes of this change? What effects does it have on society?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Key ideas for a high-band answer
- Causes: smartphones make news instant, constantly updated and usually free; news arrives alongside social content.
- Cause: newspapers have lost advertising income to online platforms, leading to cuts and closures.
- Positive effects: news reaches remote areas quickly, citizens can record and share events, readers can compare many sources.
- Negative effects: algorithms create echo chambers, misinformation spreads unchecked, investigative journalism declines and clickbait headlines are rewarded.
- A judgement, e.g. news is more accessible but less reliable, so quality journalism (e.g. through subscriptions) needs support.
Band 9 model answer
312 words · written by Abroadway to show band 9 features (not an official IELTS sample)
Not long ago, most families learned about current events from a morning newspaper or the evening television bulletin. Today, many people, particularly the young, rely instead on social media feeds and news websites. This change has been driven by technology and economics, and it has had mixed effects on society.
The most obvious cause is the spread of smartphones. Online news is instant, constantly updated and usually free, whereas a newspaper costs money and is already out of date by the time it is printed. Social media also allows people to receive news alongside messages from friends, so they no longer need to look for it deliberately. At the same time, traditional newspapers have lost much of their advertising income to online platforms, forcing many to cut staff or close, which has further reduced their appeal.
Some effects of this shift are positive. News now reaches people in remote areas instantly, and ordinary citizens can share videos of events as they happen, which can expose wrongdoing that might otherwise remain hidden. Readers can also compare a wide range of sources from around the world.
However, the negative consequences are serious. Because platforms use algorithms that show people content similar to what they have already liked, many users end up in echo chambers, where their existing views are constantly reinforced. Misinformation can spread rapidly, since posts are rarely checked before they are shared. Furthermore, as revenue falls, fewer journalists are employed to carry out the expensive investigative work that holds governments and companies to account, while sensational headlines designed to attract clicks are rewarded.
In conclusion, the move from traditional to online news has been caused mainly by smartphones and the collapse of the old advertising model. I believe it has made news more accessible but less reliable, so supporting quality journalism, for instance through digital subscriptions, has become more important than ever.
Useful vocabulary for this topic
- newspapers
- social media
- smartphones
- advertising
- journalism
- echo chambers
- misinformation
- headlines
- subscriptions
Learn how to plan and write this essay type in the free lesson Problem–solution and cause–effect essays.
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