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RICE WITHOUT RAIN, Minfong Ho

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TELEVISION REPORT FROM MAEKUNG

You work for a television company in Bangkok. You and your colleagues have been sent to the village of Maekung in northern Thailand to investigate rumours that local farmers have challenged the traditional system of rent collection.

You are expected to collect enough interviews and information for a 5-minute report. You need to:

1. Write an introduction which will be spoken by a presenter (or newsreader) in the studio
2. Interview a local person who is in favour of the protest
3. Interview a local person who is against the protest
4. Interview a landlord or rent collector
5. Interview a university student
6. Write a conclusion which will be spoken by a presenter (or newsreader) in the studio

• Make sure everyone in your group has an active role.
• Avoid amateurish introductions ("Next we interviewed Mr Ned, who is a student leader"). Instead, you can join the different interviews neatly together (e.g. "Mr Nedmanoon Angkulprasert, you’re a student leader. What are you doing in Maekung?")
• Aim to present the different opinions as clearly as possible so that a puzzled city-dweller can make sense of the issue
• Once you have a rough script, practise your report. Make sure you can be heard. Aim to sound as natural as possible.

Frankie Meehan