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Year 10

Who is more powerful the media or the Government?

I can evaluate the power of the Government and media.

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New
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Year 10

Who is more powerful the media or the Government?

I can evaluate the power of the Government and media.

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Share activities with pupils
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These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The Government has power through elections, gaining a mandate to make decisions for all.
  2. Parliamentary sovereignty lets the Government change laws, shaping society and key policies.
  3. The media shapes public opinion, reaching millions daily and influencing elections.
  4. Media holds the Government accountable but can also spread misinformation online.

Keywords

  • Power - having control or authority over something or someone

  • Mandate - the authority given to government to make decisions after winning an election

  • Parliamentary sovereignty - the principle that Parliament is the supreme legal authority in the UK; Parliament can create, amend or end any UK law

  • Misinformation - false or misleading information that is spread accidentally

Common misconception

The Government has absolute power and the media is just a neutral source of information.

The Government is powerful but must follow laws and face elections. The media influences opinion but can also mislead people.


To help you plan your year 10 citizenship lesson on: Who is more powerful the media or the Government?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Use real-world examples of government policies and media influence to help pupils see their impact on daily life. Pupils could also brainstorm how media has impacted their life in 24 hours compared to how the Government has impacted their life.
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This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the sentence starter to its end.
Correct Answer:When you review something you,look over it carefully.
tick

look over it carefully.

Correct Answer:When you verify something you,confirm it is true or correct.
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confirm it is true or correct.

Correct Answer:A source is,where information comes from.
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where information comes from.

Q2.
Who is this describing? A person who checks and revises news content before it is published or broadcast.
Correct Answer: editor, an editor
Q3.
Which of the following is true about editorial checks?
Final editorial checks guarantee the news is always factual and true.
Correct answer: Final editorial checks can still allow errors, due to human mistakes or rushing.
Final editorial checks always eliminate any possibility of mistakes.
Final editorial checks are unnecessary, as the news is always accurate.
Q4.
Journalists must be to report accurately within a democracy.
Correct Answer: free
Q5.
There are international organisations that work to journalists and campaign for global press freedom.
Correct Answer: protect
Q6.
Which of the following is true about local and national media?
Local media is less important than national media.
Correct answer: Both local and national media play key roles in influencing opinions.
National media is more important than local media.
Local media only focuses on global events.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the word to its definition.
Correct Answer:power,having control or authority over something or someone
tick

having control or authority over something or someone

Correct Answer:mandate,authority given to government to make decisions after winning election
tick

authority given to government to make decisions after winning election

Correct Answer:parliamentary sovereignty,the principle that Parliament is the supreme legal authority in the UK
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the principle that Parliament is the supreme legal authority in the UK

Q2.
The shapes public opinion, reaching millions daily and influencing elections.
Correct Answer: media
Q3.
Misinformation is ...
Correct answer: false or misleading information that is spread accidentally
true and accurate details shared by news sources
information that helps people make informed decisions
facts that are widely accepted and verified by experts
Q4.
Which of the following is true about the media's role in government?
The media always supports the Government without criticism.
Correct answer: The media holds the Government accountable but can also spread misinformation.
The media only reports good news about the Government.
Q5.
Which of the following is true about the Government and the media?
The Government has absolute power and the media is always neutral.
Correct answer: The Government is powerful but must follow laws, the media influences opinion.
The Government controls the media and all its messages.
The media only shares facts without influencing views.
Q6.
Which of the following best describes devolution?
national government controls everything in all regions
Correct answer: Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own governments
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have no governments
national government has no control over Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland