Do you read a newspaper?

Do you read a print newspaper regularly? (A newspaper on paper, not online)

I. What is its name? (In your opinion, does it do an excellent/good/bad job?)

  1. Why do you like/dislike that newspaper?

  2. Are there many (print) newspapers in your city?

  3. Is there freedom of the press in your country? (That is, are newspapers allowed to report ALL the news?


I read the Los Angeles Times. I think that it does a good job.

Sometimes it reports important news. For example: lazy and stupid employees at a local hospital; government leaders of a local city who steal the people’s money; etc.

There is only one newspaper in Los Angeles. Most American cities have only one (or maybe two) print newspapers. (I hear that London has about a dozen. Wow!)

In the United States there is much freedom of the press. There are some things that the newspapers are afraid to report, but there is probably more freedom of the press here than in most other countries.

Sorry, James, but how does your press react on this? bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16524978
For me, it’s a kind of a bigger game than “lazy and stupid employees at a local hospital”, you agree?
Eugene.

Thank you, Eugene, for your reply. As we say in the States, you have thrown me a hot potato. I think it’s better that we not discuss such unpleasant matters. Actually, I wanted to know what newspapers you and other members read, for I love (print) newspapers and want to learn more about print newspapers in other countries. Thanks again.

As you possibly guess, James, I didn’t mean throwing it at you personally. That was just an example of how ‘the free press’ avoids certain ‘unpleasant’ matters to push to the forefront the ‘fresh’ news like hurricanes, fires, marriages and divorces among stars, and the like.
That’s why I quit it, I mean reading printed papers. We here in Kyiv, have lots of papers writing on anything but what really matters to people. They call it the freedom of speech (the press moguls forming public opinion, the corrupted journalists making U-turn in their beliefs every Monday,…) The good thing is that we have the Web and some editions that prefer to remain poor but free to living in a golden cage.
…Well, James, hardly could I embrace the subject in such a short reply. Someone may contribute.
Eugene.

Thanks for your interesting reply. You mentioned “Kyiv.” I guess that you referring to “Kiev,” as it is spelled in American English. (1) I have
been reading about the political situation in your country. (2) I assume that you are a young person, so I can understand why you do NOT read print newspapers. Actually, the main reason that I read print newspapers is that I am an old man who is accustomed to doing so. Younger Americans are not reading them, and some experts predict that most print newspapers will be out of business in 10 years or so. Yes, I hear that people in many countries have no respect for their newspapers, for they know that their papers often just print government lies. Thanks again.

Thank you, James, for showing interest in someone else’s views - you’re still young enough then, and I’m still young enough to remember the person with the name Marlene. I’m deliberately not entering a new thread as the subject and the source it’s taken from, are connected with our previous exchange. That’s the sort of a paper (AND THE COLUMNIST) I would be rooting for in this country. (The readers’ remarks are worthwhile too.)
opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/20 … ef=opinion

Thank you, Eugene, for the interesting link. You say that you are rooting for a New York Times-like newspaper in your country. Just to let you know that many Americans don’t like the NYT. They say that it is too “liberal.” In every country, the word “liberal” is defined differently.
In the United States, if someone says that s/he is a liberal, it means that s/he is against capital punishment, in favor of the right to an abortion, in favor of gay rights, in favor of giving special rights to different races, letting people come here without documents, etc. People who do not agree with those ideas are called “conservatives.” I do NOT know anything about your country, but I THINK that before 1989, it was governed by a very big neighbor (let’s NOT name that country). I know that a former leader is now having many legal problems. I wish you and your beautiful country the very best of luck.

Hi James, are you sure ‘Kiev’ is the only correct spelling in American English?[YSaerTTEW443543]

TOEIC listening, question-response: Which hand do you write with?[YSaerTTEW443543]

Thanks, Torsten, for your great question. I checked several dictionaries, and they all spell it as “Kiev.” I did find one source that wrote:" Kyiv (Kiev)." If I am not mistaken, most Americans (and their newspapers) use “Kiev.” I THINK that they would consider any other spelling as “strange.” I do NOT know how the British (and other native speakers) spell it. Thanks again for the great question. Spelling the names of foreign cities is always an interesting topic.

UK - Kiev

I would assume that a lot of native speakers of English nowadays use Wikipedia. According to Wikipedia both spellings are correct.

“Kiev” is the English version of the Russian word. “Kyiv” is the English spelling of the Ukrainian word. Since Ukraine’s independence their official language has been Ukrainian, not Russian. It will take a while for native speakers of English to realize that Ukrainian is the official language of Ukraine and that their capital is Kyiv rather than Kiev.

If you want to read an English language newspaper about Kyiv, here is one: kyivpost.com/

For more information on the subject, please read this: infoukes.com/faq/kyiv-2/[YSaerTTEW443543]

TOEIC listening, question-response: Could you give me a hand with this luggage?[YSaerTTEW443543]

Oh, that wasn’t in the script.
But if you like: ‘Kiev’ is the way it’s spelled in Russia (and by Russians), while ‘Kyiv’ is more correct and familiar to Ukrainian ear. By the way, you can more often meet Andriy (Shevchenko) rather than Andrey, Oleksandr, rather than Aleksandr or Alexander referring to Ukrainians, on the sties like, uefa.com; fifa.com; bbc.co.uk (are those respectful enough?) They tend to follow original spelling nowadays ( not only Ukrainian, but Polish, Romanian, etc.) Actually, I wasn’t researching the subject thoroughly, that was just observations made while reading.
Regards.

Yes, I read news paper since class 6.

It is interesting, everyday more than 42 news papers publish in Dhaka city for
the country of Bangladesh! That is why, no authoritarian government can sustain here long time as other small countries do!

We have 64 districts(like provinces), each district has own several daily news papers.

But main problem is still major people don’t like much English language! (of course, it
is my assumption), that has lag behind our economy.

We the only country in the world, who has fought for language that is name ‘Bangla’,
it is now the authenticated language in UN. Montreal started language movement in early 50, but we won from The erstwhile Pakistan!

So, our sovereign state is BANGLADESH since 1971. We are very much proud that only by brain, we got our independence from Pakistan, that time it was 8th no. industrial countries in the world! So, we salute our father of nation, Sheikh Mujinor Rhaman like your George Washington.

Mujib was a statesman not a only leader. The leader of the leaders is called statesmanship.

We have several English news papers which publish from Dhaka everyday in the morning. Just search by Google, you will reach them now!

Like -The Daily Star, The Financial express , The Independent, The New Nation etc.
My early life started as a journalist. I have several writing topics on mentioned newspapers.

Thank you very much for your interesting reply. One of your cities has 42 newspapers. Wow! Most American cities are lucky if they have one!
I think New York has about 4 or 5. Since you are a journalist, may I suggest that you read the “media” section of London’s famous “Guardian” newspaper? Just go to its website and click on “media” at the top. Thanks again!

Wel come.

Please don’t be misunderstood, these about 42 news papers publish from Dhaka city everyday in the morning, and distribute to the whole 64 districts.

As Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh, these papers have special attraction to whole area. Again, every district has own daily news papers, somewhere there are several dailies.

Our admin system is almost centralized, where America’s every state has almost separate law-clear? Your system is most scientific, we are still fighting for more local power.

And, right now I am a free-lance Journalist or Writer, and I am earning from the learned court as a little Lawyer.

You have raised a very controversial point. When the United States was a young country, people used to say the United States ARE an important country. Why? Because, as you said, the states really had much independent power. But since the Civil War (between the North and the South), people have consistently said that the United States IS an important country. Why? Because the federal government in Washington, D.C. now has much more power over the states. Of course, some Americans are not happy about this. They feel “local power” is better.

I’ve just found this which might interesting to native speakers of English:

[i]Respect the fact that Ukraine is an independent nation. You may find that people here are sensitive about being grouped as “Russians”. The Ukrainians have their own ethnicity and do not like being seen as Russians.

Don’t say “the Ukraine,” because that usage is outdated and implies that Ukraine is a region and not a country. Also, the official spelling of the capital of Ukraine in English is Kyiv and not Kiev, the old Russian version.[/i]

TOEIC listening, question-response: Should we go to Disneyland or Disneyworld?

A man after my own heart you are, Torsten.
Have a look at how they spell the second-biggest Ukrainian city (Ukrainian-like!). I think it’s just a matter of (a) few years…
Respect.

6 Jan 2012: Husband of Ukraine opposition leader jailed in October has fled the country after wife transferred to prison colony in Kharkiv
guardian.co.uk/world/yulia-tymoshenko

Hi James!

Never mind, I think it is not so much controversial point.

When local people have qualities they will deserve the local power. American history
tells so. Yes, the answer can be very very big. In short,we see local people have not that qualities in maximum countries.or Manor system does not like to give as the Pakistan,Afghanistan or some Arabian countries do.

Early days, America was that. South and north issues came this ways. North was educated than south, but all agricultural products had been supplied from south. I am saying so,not only reading the American Economical history,I am saying from the books of ‘Roots’ by Helix Hally, Tom swear, the Adventure of Huckleberry Fin or biography of Washington T. Booker’s (a great Educationist) etc.

Hardly ever had Lincoln come, it was a doubt the Black getting the independence immediate!

Here is another example of how the Ukrainian capital is spelled: eurocup.org/euro-2012-ukraine/euro-2012-kyiv[YSaerTTEW443543]

TOEIC listening, question-response: Can I borrow that book after you’ve finished with it?[YSaerTTEW443543]