Media & News — B2 Essential Words

audience /ˈɔːdiəns/ noun B2 Media

Meaning: The people who watch, listen to, or read a program, performance, or publication.

Example: The show has an audience of two million.

Another example: The speaker thanked the audience.

Collocations: target audience · live audience · audience reaction

Synonyms: viewers, listeners, crowd

Antonyms: performer

Word family: audiences (n pl)

⚠ Common mistake: Audience is a group noun: it can take 'is' or 'are' — American news usually uses singular for media numbers.

🗣 In spoken American English: Creators talk about 'my audience' constantly — knowing yours is rule one of YouTube and media.

Register: Neutral — media and education staple.

broadcast /ˈbrɔːdkæst/ verb / noun B2 Media

Meaning: To send out a program on TV, radio, or the internet; a program that is sent out.

Example: The game will broadcast live at 8 p.m.

Another example: News broadcasts start with the main story.

Collocations: live broadcast · broadcast live · national broadcast

Synonyms: air, transmit, stream

Word family: broadcaster (n) · broadcasting (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Broadcast keeps the same form in the past: broadcast, broadcast (never 'broadcasted' in careful usage).

🗣 In spoken American English: 'Live broadcast' is the classic phrase; modern creators say 'going live'.

Register: Neutral to formal — media industry word.

headline /ˈhedlaɪn/ noun B2 Media

Meaning: The title of a news article, printed large at its top; (plural) the main news stories of the day.

Example: The headline shocked everyone this morning.

Another example: Read the headlines first, then decide what to open.

Collocations: front-page headline · make headlines · today's headlines

Synonyms: title, heading

Word family: headlines (n pl)

⚠ Common mistake: 'Make headlines' means become big news. A headline is not the whole article — just its title.

🗣 In spoken American English: In conversation: 'What's in the headlines today?' is the natural way to ask the day's big news.

Register: Neutral — daily news language.

article /ˈɑːrtɪkəl/ noun B2 Media

Meaning: A piece of writing about a subject in a newspaper, magazine, or website.

Example: I read an article about electric cars.

Another example: She writes articles for a science magazine.

Collocations: news article · write an article · an article about

Synonyms: story, report, piece

Word family: articles (n pl)

⚠ Common mistake: Article also means the grammar words a/an/the — context separates journalism from grammar.

🗣 In spoken American English: Online, 'read the article' usually means a full text, longer than a post.

Register: Neutral — education and media.

publish /ˈpʌblɪʃ/ verb B2 Media

Meaning: To make a book, article, or video available to the public.

Example: She will publish her first novel next spring.

Another example: The website publishes news every hour.

Collocations: publish a book · publish online · newly published

Synonyms: release, issue, print

Antonyms: reject

Word family: publisher (n) · publishing (n) · publication (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Publish once meant print; today videos and posts are published too. You publish ON a platform.

🗣 In spoken American English: Creators hit 'Publish' — the button made the word everyday for a whole generation.

Register: Neutral — writing and media.

source /sɔːrs/ noun B2 Media

Meaning: The place, person, or document where information comes from.

Example: Always check the source of a news story.

Another example: The river is a source of fresh water.

Collocations: news source · source of information · reliable source

Synonyms: origin, root, reference

Word family: sources (n pl) · resource (n — different word)

⚠ Common mistake: Source ≠ resource: a source gives information or begins a river; a resource is something useful you use.

🗣 In spoken American English: 'According to sources…' is the news phrase for information from unnamed people.

Register: Neutral to formal — research and news essential.

event /ɪˈvent/ noun B2 Media

Meaning: Something that happens, especially an organized or important occasion.

Example: The concert is the biggest event of the summer.

Another example: Current events classes discuss the week's news.

Collocations: special event · current events · event planning

Synonyms: occasion, happening, incident

Word family: events (n pl) · eventful (adj)

⚠ Common mistake: An event is usually planned or notable. For accidents and crimes, news prefers 'incident'.

🗣 In spoken American English: 'Current events' is a school subject name in the US — the news of the week.

Register: Neutral — everywhere in news and planning.

stream /striːm/ verb / noun B2 Media

Meaning: To watch or listen to media directly from the internet without downloading it; the flow of media itself.

Example: Millions stream the show on Friday nights.

Another example: She streams music while she works.

Collocations: stream live · streaming service · stream a movie

Synonyms: broadcast (online), play online

Antonyms: download

Word family: streaming (n) · streamer (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Stream vs download: streaming plays now from the internet; downloading saves the file first.

🗣 In spoken American English: Asking 'Where can I stream it?' is the modern version of 'What channel is it on?'

Register: Neutral — the everyday media verb of this decade.

viewer /ˈvjuːər/ noun B2 Media

Meaning: A person who watches television or online video.

Example: The video reached a million viewers.

Another example: Viewers complained about the ending.

Collocations: TV viewers · million viewers · viewer comments

Synonyms: watcher, audience member

Antonyms: creator

Word family: view (v/n) · viewing (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Viewers watch screens; listeners hear radio/podcasts; readers read. Match the verb to the medium.

🗣 In spoken American English: YouTube creators say 'my viewers' the way TV says 'our audience'.

Register: Neutral — media metrics staple.

episode /ˈepɪsəʊd/ noun B2 Media

Meaning: One part of a television or podcast series.

Example: The last episode ended with a shock.

Another example: New episodes come out every Tuesday.

Collocations: new episode · episode one · final episode

Synonyms: installment, part, show (episode of)

Word family: episodes (n pl) · episodic (adj)

⚠ Common mistake: An episode belongs to a series; a movie is not an episode. Podcasts use episode too.

🗣 In spoken American English: 'Next episode' energy drives modern watching — cliffhangers are built for it.

Register: Neutral — everyday entertainment talk.