Understanding Media and its Roles

Media

• Channels of communication reach people widely.
• Outlets and tools store and deliver information or data.
• Media includes radio, television, newspapers, magazines, and the Internet.

Roles of Media

• Media disseminates learning and knowledge and allows citizens to communicate with each other to make informed decisions.
• It facilitates informed debates between diverse social actors
• Media provides much of what we learn about the world beyond immediate experience.
• Societies learn about themselves through the media, building a sense of community
• The media serves as a government watchdog, promoting transparency through scrutiny and exposing corruption.
• Media is essential to democratic processes.
• Guarantees free and fair elections.
• Medium for cultural expression and cohesion within and between nations.

Media Literacy

• Core of media literacy is an analytical attitude towards media environments.
• Requires being critical, and shows a willingness to self-express via media.
• Media literacy includes:
• Aesthetic and creative skills like viewing, listening, creating, to interpret media content.
• Interactive skills to communicate through media in different roles, developed via collaboration.
• Critical analyzing skills for understanding media via analytical tools that can be developed by studying media genres.
• Security skills to solve problems online by protecting privacy and avoiding harmful content.

Information

• Broad term covering processed data and knowledge from various study, experience, and instruction methods.
• Knowledge that is communicated or received concerning a particular fact or circumstance
• Stimuli with meaning in some context for its receiver.

Literacy

• An ability to use printed and written information in society
• Achieves goals and develop knowledge.

Information Literacy

• Set of competencies for obtaining, understanding, evaluating, adapting, generating, storing, and presenting information for problem analysis and decision-making.
• Information literacy includes skills like:
• Identifying or recognizing information needs.
• Identifying sources of information.
• Locating or retrieving information.
• Analyzing and assessing the quality of information.
• Organizing and storing information.
• Using information ethically, efficiently, and effectively.
• Creating and communicating new knowledge.

Sourcing Information

• The proper use of information made available by media and information providers depends on abilities to:
• Understand information needs.
• Locate, retrieve, and evaluate information.
• Ask these questions when sourcing information:
• What is the information for?
• What source would be the most credible?
• What sources are fair, objective, and showing quality control?

Information Sources

• Primary Sources:
• Original sources without interpreted information.
• Include research reports, sales receipts, speeches, and emails
• Always advisable to use primary sources if possible.
• Secondary Sources:
• Produced by information providers; information has been interpreted, analyzed, or summarized.
• Peer-reviewed sources are better than primary sources; but can have subjectivity or biases.
• Tertiary Sources:
• Compilations, indexes, or organized sources like abstracts, bibliographies, handbooks, encyclopedias, databases.
• Information is a mix of primary and secondary sources.

Media and Information Literacy (MIL)

• Essential skills and competencies for citizens to engage effectively with media and information providers.
• Develops critical thinking, lifelong learning skills to socialize.
• Promotes rights to communicate, express, seek, receive, and impart information and ideas.
• Encourages evaluation of media and information providers based on production, messages, and the role of the intended audience.
• Media and information literate people can:
• Understand media influences and representations.
• Make informed and independent decisions.
• Learn about the world.
• Build community and maintain public discourse.
• They can also engage in lifelong learning, produce information, think critically, use media for self-expression safely, and participate in democracy.

Functions of Journalism

• Organizing knowledge.
• Promoting truthfulness and public interest.
• Maintaining independence.
• Provides a forum for criticism and problem-solving.
• Provides accountability and proportional news that balances privacy with public awareness.

Access to Information

• It is essential for democracy and development.
• A right of every citizen.
• Public information is the property of citizens
• ICTs provide access to knowledge almost instantaneously.

Freedom of Expression

• Allows exchange of views and opinions free from threats or punitive action.
• It is a fundamental human right that promotes ownership within society.
• Freedom is a part of civic responsibility and critical thinking.
• There are restrictions to protect hate speech.

Media Pluralism

• Ensures exposure to opinions, views, and information from a variety of sources.
• Helps societies to better reflect on themselves.

Editorial Independence

• Professional freedom for editors to make decisions without the interference of owners of the media, state or non-state actors.
• Tested when unpopular articles are published.