Have you ever pondered what percentage of the media you watch is credible? We need to be careful with how we use our time since various forms of media occupy a large portion of it.
In this post, you will learn about โwhat is media literacy,โ why it is significant, and how you may learn more about it. Additionally, the effects of media literacy and some media literacy skills will be discussed. This is going to be a complete guide on what is media literacy and how it is important in todayโs world.
1. What Is Media Literacy?
It can sound a little perplexing to those readers who are unfamiliar with this phrase. Perhaps you are familiar with the terms โmediaโ and โliteracyโ but have never heard them often in the same sentence in media industries. We must first comprehend the meaning of โwhat is mediaโ on its own before we can comprehend the phrase as a whole.
Before going to dive into what is media literacy, first get to know about media.
1.1. What Is Media?
What are the mass media,ย and how does it play a role in understanding what is media literacy? Media, thanks to technical advancements, reaches a far bigger audience than conventional media is referred to as mass media.
Contrary to common opinion, the phenomena of mass media are not new to media literacy education. For instance, the development of the printing press in the 1400s was a significant turning point in information and communication since it made it possible to produce print sources in large quantities.
Similarly, the development of the internet in the 1980s altered our interaction with the media, and communication and entertainment venues are constantly changing.
There are many different types of creating media content. Thus, itโs critical to be able to comprehend and interpret each one. The three different forms of mass media are as follows:
1.1.1. Print Media Literacy Education
All ink-and-paper media, including books, periodicals, newspapers, posters, and brochures, is referred to as print media which is popular among active citizens. Written communication, syntax, and connotation are crucial for print media, while certain sources may also include illustrative material. Reputable print media sources that are professionally published and edited for language, structure, content, and clarity, as well as audience specificity.
1.2. Broadcast Media Literacy Education
Media that is broadcast to a large audience, such as radio, television, and movies, needs technology to do it. Although these media formats are typically intended to provide entertainment, they are extremely influential due to the millions of people they attract.
Particularly strong visual and social cues are sent by television and movies, which influence cultural trends and beliefs.
1.3. Internet Media Literacy Education
Thanks to media representationโs instantaneous ability to disseminate information around the world, we now have a very different perspective on the role that media plays in our lives.
The internet provides platforms to access, analyze, create, and connect as well as to influence and manipulateโfrom news sources to company websites to social media, blogs, podcasts, and smartphone apps.
The internet is full of perspectives from regular people who post with a variety of motives, making it often difficult to tell reality from fiction.
However, some websites provide peer-reviewed information from reliable sources that is effectively a digital version of conventional print sources. One needs to know โwhat is media literacyโ to survive the world of social media these days.
Due to the constant barrage of media that digital consumers face today, they have mastered the art of multitasking, which involves interacting with two or more different media sources at once. Media literacy is crucial now more than ever because of this.
Newspapers and magazines are examples of certain types of media that are printed practically, whereas commercials, radio, and television programs are examples of forms that are aired.
1.2. What Is Media Literacy?
The National Association for Media Literacy Education defines the capacity to evaluate and understand various media forms and the messages they convey is known as media literacy. We must consciously work to comprehend all mediaโs production and consumption processes.
Media literacy is also known as media information literacy.
The National Association for Media Literacy Education claims that media literacy is a component of our daily life in the modern world. However, a lot of people lack the problem-solving and critical thinking abilities necessary to comprehend and process the data they are given. Some audience members are ignorant of how media sources influence their beliefs and choices.
By examining the terms, definitions, and examples from the media literacy field, one can improve their intellect to recognize meaning.
To put it simply, an answer to what is media literacy is that it builds the crucial abilities of rational reflection and clear communication with the classic literacy act of reading, producing, and speaking.
Today, media literacy educationโthe study of sources primarily used to educate the general public or a target audienceโreceives much attention in media literacy education development. The definition of media education often includes news in all mediums. Not all news, though, is made equal.
To recognize the consequences of latent bias, individual learned viewers need to take into account the cognizance of the intention behind each message.
These four key concepts help access, analyze, evaluate, and create media products and are applicable to print, television, and the internet. Print and broadcast media are accustomed to this topic, which has been covered in numerous policy initiatives and academic courses. Thus, this may also include online media literacy education.
1.2.1. Obtain
Access is not a one-time act of provision; it is a continual, social process. Once initial access is established, growing literacy encourages users to continuously and drastically change the terms of access.
Problematically, disparities in access to online information, interaction, and engagement will persist, given socio-demographic disparities in economic, social, and symbolic resources.
1.2.2. Review
It has been demonstrated that various analytical skills are necessary for people to engage with print and audiovisual media. These comprise knowledge of the media company, classifications, technology, languages, interpretations, and audiences in the multimedia realm.
A corresponding account of internet-related analytical skills is still remarkably undeveloped, and the general public has not yet acquired these skills and the ability to take full use of online advantages.
1.2.3. Analysis
When defining and defending the proper bases of critical literacyโaesthetic, social, philosophical, and/or economicโa reliance on assessment creates some challenging policy concerns, which is understandable given that there is little sense in accessibility or analysis without assessment.
The scope and intent of evaluation are also under question: should it support a more conventional, bureaucratic distinction of acceptable from terrible, authorized from unauthorized and communication, or should it support a democratic, varied, anti-elitist approach to the internet representations?
1.2.4. Creating content
It is asserted that individuals become more aware of the media textsโ norms and benefits of professional quality material if they have firsthand knowledge of content production. The online world is a medium that offers unimaginable possibilities for regular people to create web content. This is true even though not all interpretations of media literacy have included the requisite to create and generate representational texts.
1.3. Media Literacy Skills
You can develop some important media literacy skills and begin your path to create media and being a part of media literacy programs in order to make sure you are securely consuming media. Letโs look at some practical key concepts and core principles to get you going:
1.3.1. Analyze And Evaluate Media Content
In todayโs era, where we live, there is a large library of knowledge at an individualโs disposal. Itโs best to conduct a media literate analysis of the content before choosing what media one will watch or listen to. You should consider the contentโs relevancy, accuracy, bias, and dependability while analyzing a piece of media.
This ability, known as media analysis, includes all of the research necessary to evaluate a piece of media.
You can ascertain the intent behind a piece of content and the possible effects that media may have by analyzing it. Critical thinking is directly related to media literacy because it is a necessary skill to analyze media information.
1.3.2. Using A Variety Of Sources
This ability entails media users in examining additional sources for the same news item. When children evaluate media violence and actual violence, media idols and brave people, and media mentors with real-life responsibilities and expectations, they learn to differentiate between reality and fantasy, which aids in their critical analysis of media portrayal.
1.3.3. Judging Language And Tone With Media Literacy Skills
This helps media users in developing an ear for authentic language is necessary for essential skills.
1.3.4. Doubting Media Messages: Facts And Figures
Knowing โwhat is media literacy educationโย leads you to the understanding of how both words and numbers need to be carefully considered. From where did they originate? How were the numbers calculated?
1.3.5. Developing Multimedia Capabilities
Todayโs media takes many different forms, and one needs to be as knowledgeable about them as possible. Based on what you know, take action.
A crucial media literacy education talent is the capacity to put your understanding of media literacy into practice. Utilizing your media literacy skills means making changes to your life based on information from a media source that you trust.
As an illustration, acting on your media literacy education would be deciding to donate your time to support a cause after reading information about it from a reputable source.
Similar to that, you might want to participate in numerous media outlets.
1.3.6. Create Fresh Content
It is not very difficult for someone to create their own online media. Blog entries, YouTube videos, podcasts, and even social media updates are some of the strategies you can use to contribute to the media world.
Suppose you have a solid grasp of what is a media literacy education. In that case, youโll be able to produce online material with the best of intentions and contribute to the abundance of beneficial media already available online.
You may even use media channels to attempt and inform people about the value of knowing what is media literacy. You can improve your media literacy abilities by producing your own media.
1.3.7. Developing Multimedia Capabilities
Todayโs media takes many different forms, so itโs important for everyone to understand them all. This competency deals with selecting, arranging, storing, and exploiting information gleaned from the media in an efficient manner.
2. History Of Media Literacy Education
The British Film Instituteโs push to instill analytical abilities in media consumers during the late 1920s and early 1930s is sometimes seen as the origin of the first initiatives in media literacy education. In America, at the same time, the Wisconsin Association for Better Broadcasters worked to instill in its audience a greater sense of media skepticism.
But these early initiatives in media literacy, which persisted throughout the 1960s, were intended to shield pupils from media by cautioning them against its consumption. In spite of this viewpoint, media dominanceโand television in particularโkept expanding as interest in teaching media literacy education declined.
The need for knowing what is media literacy has more recently increased due to the development of the internet and portable devices that allow us to consume information anywhere and at any time. However, the objective is now to assist people in becoming more knowledgeable, intelligent media consumers rather than to forbid them from utilizing media.
A lack of institutionalization has resulted in a disjointed method of teaching realistic media literacy skills, despite the fact that media literacy education has now gained acceptance and popularity in English-speaking countries like Australia, Canada, and Britain.
3. The Impact Of Media Literacy
We are bombarded by many types of media, whether checking Instagram or reading the morning newspaper. Media significantly impact peopleโs everyday lives since they create media to keep everyone amused, involved, and updated.
Media production has never been more readily available because of the rise of mobile devices and membership services like Netflix. According to figures, Americans watch media for 473 minutes daily.
Furthermore, 145 minutes are used on social media on the median per day around the globe. Particularly young individuals have the ability to spend a lot of time each day perusing social media applications. Weโll talk more about how damaging this can be for developing minds later.
The majority of people rely on the media to influence their beliefs, keep in touch with their loved ones, and to educate themselves. There is no denying that the media significantly impacts our lives in numerous ways.
The link between literacy, competency, and authority is at the heart of media literacy. Indeed, the idea of literacy is rooted in a long-standing conflict between critical scholarship and enlightenment thought, pitting those who view literacy as decentralizing and empowering common people against those who view it as exclusive, dividing, and a cause of inequality.
Shortly put, literacy discussions are about how and why people participate in society. The general public will only be positioned as selected recipients, web information and communication consumers, without the need for a participatory and critical media consumersโ approach to media literacy education.
The potential of media literacy is undoubtedly very strong that it may be used as a component of a strategy to reposition the media userโfrom receiver to contributor, from client to citizenโfrom passive to active.
3.1 Media Messages
All of the widely disseminated media have this as their fundamental media message and goal. The typical goals of media messages are to amuse, influence, or educate.
It is the capacity to obtain media messages of different kinds (visual, audio, and printed), assess and critically evaluate the obtained media, and to create oneโs own media messages.
Media messages could be intended for more than one purpose, as in the case of compelling yet entertaining advertising.
Simply defined, media is produced with a purpose in mind. Media messages are the data that authors seek to spread in order to further their objectives, whatever they may be.
Therefore, knowing what is media literacy education is the need of the hour.
3.2 Media Effects
A media effect is a real outcome of media messaging and media production. The media message itself as well as the audience, is delivered to determine the kind and intensity of the effect.
The media can influence the views, attitudes, and behaviors of an audience, which frequently contributes to the formation of contemporary culture.
4. Why Media Literacy Education Is Important?
Despite its advantages, the media production industry is fraught with dangers and problems. These dangers can make media use potentially troublesome if not handled with caution and care.
One may guard against any bad effects of media by exercising media literacy and challenging its purposes.
What are some drawbacks to consuming media without knowing โwhat is media literacy education.โ
4.1 Fake News
Everyone is able to communicate with their friends and family around the world thanks to the power of electronic media. There is access to social media, email, and even open-source websites like Wikipedia, which you may update.
Given the openness with which information is shared, critical thinkers say it is unavoidable that not all of it can be trusted. Children with media literacy may analyse media representation based on their media education.
Due to the prevalence of false news and misinformation in the web age, itโs critical for active citizens to know the difference between the two in a democratic society. Our perspectives on a wide range of significant issues, such as politics, health care, and current events, are shaped by the media we consume.
We definitely donโt want to base such significant decisions on false information. Platforms like Instagram and Facebook enable speedy information exchange, which increases the likelihood that news will spread swiftly and frequently gives bogus news the appearance of veracity.
There is a panorama of both deliberate and unintended misinformation; not all fake news is spread maliciously.
4.2 Media Bias
Media bias is a persistent problem in media literacy education. When news sources choose which topics and incidents get reported and transmitted, they are exhibiting media bias.
Educating individuals about what is media literacy enables us to not fall into the trap of media bias and to not completely miss or misinterpret significant events while not lacking this understanding.
As per critical thinkers, news producers and journalists frequently present issues in a way that favors one side of the argument as self-expression.
One must be able to create their own opinions and viewpoints about various circumstances. Consumers who are subjected to media bias may not fully comprehend situations and themes, which has a significant impact on their judgments.
As it enables us to evaluate the information we consume critically, media literacy education is crucial for a democratic society.
4.3 Concerns About Mental Health
Unfortunately, research shows that a lot of the media that is available today endangers young peopleโs mental health. Hate speech and body image attacks are affecting high school students in todayโs world of popular culture of social media. Studies have connected high social media use to conditions like depression and anxiety.
The burden of measuring yourself to other users on social media sites comes in addition to the potential of harassment and discrimination online. Influencers are increasingly widely used across all social media platforms, portraying idealized images of what you ought to look like or do.
These posts, however, are not necessarily accurate, as is the case with many things found online. These images frequently simply emphasize the pleasures and donโt show all facets of peopleโs lives.
They frequently consist of sponsored or carefully curated content with the aim of hawking or supporting a certain brand or item. To understand, what is media literacy interventions, they have to be demonstrated in numerous studies to lessen depressive symptoms that can come from consuming media messages.
Particularly younger audiences could not fully comprehend the implications of these articles and contrast their lives with what appears to be an ideal one. Being able to view such stuff objectively requires critical thinking abilities.
A favorable or poor social media experience may depend on oneโs capacity to distinguish between valuable material on social media. By acquiring social media literacy, one may contribute to the creation of a society in which nobody feels socially excluded.
Final Note
Access to media and the ability to access the net should also be taken into account. Many of us consider having a reliable wifi connection and the necessary devicesโ ability to access the net to be necessities. Many individuals do not, however, enjoy this opportunity.
People who donโt have easy access to online platforms might not be as acclimated to the news and information found there. Itโs crucial to teach everyone about the need of media literacy education because when people are exposed to create media, they may find it difficult to tell the difference between bogus and authentic information.
A media literacy program should be conducted to develop positive ways of critical thinking skills for active citizens and young people who enjoy media and media products to critically understand information on what is media literacy.
Hope this guide on what is media literacy will be helpful for you.
Last Updated on by ritukhare
