News media have become influential to our lives, and some people think that is a negative development. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
新闻媒体对我们的生活产生影响，有人认为这是一种消极的发展。你在多大程度上同意或不同意?
思路解析：
1. 负面影响：以新闻为主的生活方式会让人们筋疲力尽。举例，报纸和电视吸取了人们所有的关注，这让人们无法关注自己的事情，也缺乏时间来维持家庭关系。
2. 负面影响：负面新闻会引发社会不安。举例，很多谣言，关于社会传染病，或是很多逃犯的信息，会让人们生活在恐惧中。
3. 负面影响：媒体是洗脑工具。举例，处于政治目的，很多新闻媒体会对某些进行毫无根据的攻击和抹黑。这会误导投票人的判断和立场。
4. 正面影响：新闻媒体能提供有用的信息，建议和指导。举例，天气预报和交通堵塞的信息能帮助人们制定合适的出行计划和路线。
参考范文：
Nowadays, the expanding influence of news media on the society has been a heated social issue in debate. Some believe this trend is negative because the media controls minds of the public. Personally, I partially agree with this view, and my reasons will be explored as below.
The most worrying aspect of new media is that it overwhelms people’s daily lives. Actually, our lives of today are news-oriented, because of the 24-hour nonstop news cycles on TV, radio and Internet. Under such news bombardment, the information overload takes place, which means people’s attentions and minds have to be glued to focusing on and interpreting endless news, comments, gossips and rumors, necessary and unnecessary, no matter where they are, in workplaces, schools, buses or homes. As a result, news media is a huge distraction, which makes people exhausted and reduces their concentration and energy on their tasks or families.
Another big concern of news media is about its roles in manipulating people’s thoughts. Psychologically speaking, watching news media is a strong process of washing brain, in which the personal judgments of individual viewers might be removed and replaced with the media-established ideas. For example, for the purpose of politics, many influential newspapers, TV programs and online websites disclose the foibles of privacy, and even deliberately fabricate false rumors, scandals to diminish some political candidates in an election. Obviously, the cheatings and lies on news media are detrimental to the social equity and democracy, because they keep voters from thinking freely and independently.
However, the positive impact news media bring to our lives can never be ignored. In fact, the exposure to these news and reports can give the audience valuable messages and suggestions in day-to-day life. For example, the information about forecasts of weather and traffic situations in rush hours on regional newspapers or radio channels can instruct local residents to make proper schedules, plans and routers for travelling outside. In addition, reports about pressing social problems like epidemics, natural disasters, violence and crimes in streets also help to arouse the public’s awareness of the importance of improving education and health care systems, as well as the necessity of saving environment.
In conclusion, the demerits caused by news media override its benefits for the public. Although it can provide useful and practical information to the audience, it influences people in more negative ways, including an unbalanced life due to addiction in news, as well as the misunderstanding about social issues.
(417 words)
