News articles can provide an engaging way to teach about history, government and civics. To help students develop research skills, it is important to analyze the article for accuracy and credibility. Using this scaffold, students will identify the five Ws and H of the story they are reading. Then they will use the five main points to write a summary of the article.
The 2024 year started with an unprecedented number of elections in democracies around the world, a major US-China trade war looming and a series of natural disasters. But it will be remembered as a year in which the most disruptive new media technology also came to prominence, with one forecast suggesting that most online content will be synthetic by 2026. Some news executives believe this will strengthen journalism’s position and restore trust; others fear it will be a double-edged sword for democracy.
Many publishers will focus on integrating audio, with more podcasts and even standalone apps being launched by established media brands. In addition, digital subscription services will continue to bundle together news and non-news content with the aim of locking in customers. Expect the likes of The Economist, Die Zeit and the New York Times to continue experimenting with all-access packages while platforms such as TikTok and Elon Musk’s X will face further regulation over concerns about their impact on young people. Meanwhile, bots and personal assistants will gain traction as they are able to access and interpret a wider range of data and offer personalised information – raising ethical questions about privacy and ownership.
