Online Resources for Teaching Media Literacy

By Frank W. Baker

In 1998, I created the Media Literacy Clearinghouse website because I wanted to offer K-12 educators (and others) an online venue for locating appropriate resources that would help in the teaching of media literacy. Thousands of teachers have discovered the resources offered there.  Over time, the site has grown and includes more original content since its inception.

Since that time, the web has not only become larger, but also more interactive. A large number of interactive, online websites now offer teachers more opportunities to engage students.  What follows is a brief overview of some of these sites:

Creating Your Own Animated Movie  (UK)

At the heart of the Tate Movie Project is the website www.tatemovie.co.uk. Children will be able to be involved in the whole movie making process online, from the hand-drawn characters and plot twists, down to costumes and sound effects. When children enter the website they are welcomed by Ronnie, the animated “Movie Director”, alongside a host of other cartoon characters who will guide them through the process. The website has been designed to appeal to children aged 5-13 and will enable them to explore animation, scripting, editing and sound effects. Their creations and contributions to the movie are uploaded directly onto the website where they can interact with all the activities and resources it provides. (NOTE: related UK websites include Me & My Movie,  and FilmStreet.

Advertising Literacy for Tweens: Admongo (FTC)

This online video game, located at http://admongo.gov, (with additional resources for parents and teachers) is designed for the tweenager.  The online initiative is designed around three questions: who is responsible for the ad; what is the ad actually saying, and; what does the ad want me to do?  According to the website: “Admongo.gov teaches kids to apply critical thinking skills through a series of fun and challenging interactive games.”  Admongo was developed by the Federal Trade Commission in a partnership with Scholastic.

MediaSmart  A UK WebSite About Advertising

MediaSmart is a curriculum initiative in the United Kingdom. It is aimed at students from 6 to 11 years old.  The project was coproduced by an advertising organization.  The games on the site can be found here.   Information for parents and teachers can also be found on the site.

MyPopStudio: Media Literacy + Edutainment (Media Education Lab)

MyPop Studio is an online creative play experience for girls ages 9 – 14 that promotes media literacy with edutainment gaming.  According to the site, girls can go “behind the scenes” to think critically about how media is created and to question the messages we see. Lesson plans and activities accompany the website and are available as free downloads to enhance the digital learning experience.

Girl Power (Understanding Magazine Cover Image Manipulation)

The Girl Power website, from Sweden, starts with a photo of a teenage girl dressed in a shirt and blue jeans. By clicking on a lengthy list, students can see what has been altered. The site uses digital manipulation to create a magazine cover of the girl.

Cover Girl (Coming in September 2010)   Producer: Channel 4 Education (UK)

This media literacy game explores image manipulation by asking the player to take the role of a Photoshopper on a women’s magazine. Players have to ‘uglify or prettify’ the celebrity according to be agenda.

Don’t Buy It! Get Media Smart (PBS)

PBS describes this site as “a media literacy Web site for young people that encourages users to think critically about media and become smart consumers. Activities on the site are designed to provide users with some of the skills and knowledge needed to question, analyze, interpret and evaluate media messages.” There are activities related to advertising, consumerism, and entertainment.  Also included are resources for parents and teachers.

You Are Here: Where Kids Learn To Be Smarter Consumers (FTC)

According to the site, http://www.ftc.gov/youarehere/ “In our virtual mall, you can play games, design ads, chat with customers and store owners, and much more. You’ll learn key consumer concepts, such as how advertising affects you, how you benefit when businesses compete, how (and why) to protect your information, and how to spot scams. What better place to do it than at the mall!”  The site is intended for students in 5th through 8th grade. The website also includes material for parents and teachers.

Create Your Own Comics

The developer of the website MakeBelieveComix says: “I envisioned MakeBeliefsComix.com as a place for you to come to and have fun by creating your own world of comic strips. My hope is that by giving you a choice of characters with different moods and the chance to write words and thoughts for them, you will tap into your creativity and explore new possibilities.”

Related site: http://www.scholastic.com/amulet/makeyourown/

Media Awareness Network produced games

A number of other games have been created by the Canada based Media Awareness Network.  A complete list of these games can be found here.

Thematic Meme: Obama as Foreigner

Art Silverblatt
Professor, Dept. of Communications and Journalism
Webster University

A meme is a story or element that is transmitted throughout a culture. The term “Meme” was originally used to describe a certain kind of biological system. Over time, this concept of memes has been applied to transmission of culture from one mind to another, through the channels of mass communication.

A memetic approach to media analysis examines reasons behind the construction and  recurrence of memes in the media: what makes certain stories “stick” in the media? These memes reflect particular areas of cultural concern.

In general, memes are clearly identifiable, in that the identical story is repeated through the various channels of mass communication. But in addition, thematic memes are stories that, on the surface, do not appear to be related. However, considering these stories as aspects of a single theme provides insight into why these stories appear and helps to put the appearance of these stories into perspective.

To illustrate, a number of apparently unrelated stories involving President Barack Obama, appear in the media:

• Obama is Muslim
• Obama is not U.S. Citizen
• Obama is a Socialist
• Obama is Gay

Although the specifics of these stories differ, they share a thematic narrative, appearing on an ongoing basis, stressing that Obama is a foreigner.

Seeing these disparate stories as a derivation of the same meme furnishes perspective into the motivation behind the appearance of these stories in the media. These stories tie into a body of research revealing that most Americans associate the idea of “American” with white skin. Reporter Nicholas Kristoff observes,

One study found that although people realize that (Chinese-American actress) Lucy Liu is American and that Kate Winslet is British, their minds automatically process an Asian face as foreign and a white face as American — hence this title in an academic journal: ‘Is Kate Winslet More American Than Lucy Liu?’ (Nicholas D. Kristof, “What? Me Biased?”)

This manifestation of social bias is a mechanism that is common to the human species—even groups that are targets of racial discrimination, such as Latinos and Asian-Americans. Kristof explains,

Some scholars link racial attitudes to a benefit in evolutionary times from an ability to form snap judgments about who is a likely friend and foe. There may have been an evolutionary advantage in recognizing instantaneously whether a stranger was from one’s own tribe or from an enemy tribe. There’s some evidence that the amygdala, a center in the brain for emotions, flashes a threat warning when it perceives people who look ‘different.’…

It’s not that any of them actually believed Mr. Obama to be foreign. But the implicit association test measured the way the unconscious mind works, and in following instructions to sort images rapidly, the mind balked at accepting a black candidate as fully American. (Nicholas D. Kristof, “What? Me Biased?”)

Using the implicit association test, researchers found that subjects subconsciously considered Barack Obama less American than either Hillary Clinton or John McCain. (Nicholas D. Kristof, “What? Me Biased?”) Thus, the recurrence of these thematic memes—that Obama is Muslim, an illegal alien, or a socialist– are tied to racial attitudes, in which people who are perceived as different—even when they belong to the same culture—are regarded as outsiders.

Gen. McChrystal Story Prompts Role-of-Journalist Discussions

Discussions  continue to swirl regarding  General McChrystal’s resignation/firing, but you can just imagine the discussions regarding the media coverage of this news.  More specifically, there are numerous discussions about  how media cover  prominent figures, in general.   We bring two points of view to you,  right here, with an even more specific angle: the role of the journalist in covering such stories.

First…. If you’ve wondered where former St. Louis Post-Dispatch writer and editor Eric Mink has been…not to worry!    He has stayed busy doing what he does  so well: thoughtful and timely writing for local and national media, and he’s also an adjunct teaching film at Webster University. You may recall, Eric was first a  P-D reporter,  many years ago,  where he distinguished himself as a television columnist, among other duties.  He left the  P-D to work  at the New York Daily News. further distinguishing himself as a writer/reporter of  media and television stories.   He returned home, several years ago, and re-emerged in the role for which many of you  most recently remember him:  P-D Op-Ed editor and columnist .

Eric’s most recent column can be seen on  Mink colleague/ television critic David Bianculli’s web site.  Eric’s timely piece comes on the heels of freelancer Michael Hastings’ story in Rolling Stone, featuring the now erstwhile leader of the U.S. Afghanistan war effort    For anyone who’s curious, here’s Eric’s  new web-only piece on media aspects of the Gen. McChrystal story.

Second,  listen to/or read the transcript of  ON THE MEDIA’s interview with  Jamie McIntyre, CNN’s former senior Pentagon reporter.  See what you think of his theory on why a military official might speak so candidly in front of a reporter.   Ultimately, this is a discussion on the difference between beat reporters/journalists and freelance journalists.

Teaching Media Literacy Through Magazines

By Frank W. Baker (Media Literacy Clearinghouse)

This spring, the magazine industry promoted itself with an advertising campaign which basically said ever since the rise of the Internet and other technologies, magazine subscriptions have increased. In other words, the rumors of the demise of the print magazine are premature.

The logo for the campaign was:

Did you instantly recognize some magazine’s names based only on one of their letters?  Are there some letters that you don’t recognize?

I found the logo (above) to be the inspiration for me to create an activity you might find useful with your students.  The game, posted here is a takeoff of the Branding Alphabet.  If you’ve not seen this one, it can be used to determine if one can identify the product based solely on one letter from the product’s name.  You can download the Branding Alphabet here.

All of this is to remind you, and your teachers, that magazines are rich media texts which can, and should, be used in instruction.  Most standards reference “informational texts,” of which magazines can certainly be included.

Most magazine covers, for example, are in fact, also advertisements themselves. You might ask students to first consider these questions:

• What is an advertisement?
• Where do you find ads located?
• What are ads designed to do?
• To whom are ads targeted?
• Who benefits from an ad?
• What techniques do ads use to get your attention?

Now apply these same questions to a magazine’s cover.

Whether you go to the grocery store, the public library, or the chain bookshop, you’ve probably seen the hundreds of magazines that are available. Every one of them has a niche audience and enough advertisers to keep it in business.

Look at the magazines on the shelves in your media center.  What makes each of these appealing, and worth reading, to your audience?

Many young people seek out images of themselves in the media; so what happens if they are not reflected in the media?   Issues of body image, digital manipulation, stereotypes, techniques-of-persuasion and more can be addressed by simply using the magazines you already have on the shelf.

Students can be engaged by conducting a content analysis of the magazines’ total advertising. By examining just the products advertised, students can easily define and describe the audience for each publication.

Recently, I created several visual literacy activities using cover images from some popular magazines.  During the race for the White House, I asked my audiences to compare-and-contrast two TIME Magazine covers of Senators John McCain and Barack Obama.  You can download that one here.

After the election, I noticed that many news/current affairs magazines were employing symbolism in their representations of the new president, so I used these in my workshops:

Later, I created another activity using cover images of basketball star Lebron James.

In a collaboration with your arts educator, you can also have students examine covers for composition, color, font size, layout, and more.

There are literally hundreds of magazines and many different ways of engaging students in not only analyzing magazines, but also creating them.

For more information, including essays, and recommended texts about magazines, go to the magazine page on my Media Literacy Clearinghouse website: http://www.frankwbaker.com/magazines.htm

Frank W. Baker is the author of two books and is often invited to school, districts and conferences to help educators better integrate those teaching standards which include informational texts, non-print texts, advertising, visual/media literacy and more.  If there is an opportunity to work with your school or district, please consider contacting him.

A Comprehensive Definition of Media Literacy

Art Silverblatt, Ph.D
Professor, Webster University

A Comprehensive Definition of Media Literacy
One of the major challenges facing the discipline of media literacy involves its name recognition. This abundance of definitions adds to the confusion surrounding the focus of the discipline. Although media literacy is included in the educational standards of all fifty states in the U.S., many of these states do not include the term “media literacy” in their statements. Frank Baker and Robert Kubey observe,
West Virginia… calls on students to ‘analyze media influence on tobacco and alcohol [use] and develop counter-advertisements for peer education.’ One of Missouri’s ‘health maintenance and enhancement” frameworks calls on students from grades 9-12 to ‘evaluate the idealized body image and elite performance levels portrayed by the media and determine the influence on a young adult’s self-concept, goal setting, and health decisions.’

As Kathleen Tyner points out, developments in the field of media communications have been accompanied by “new” forms of literacy, such as information literacy, computer literacy, and visual literacy.
In 1946, Edgar Dale was among the first to define a new kind of literacy:

What do I mean by the term ‘literacy’ and the ‘new’ literacy? I mean by literacy the ability to communicate through the three modes: reading and writing, speaking and listening, visualizing and observing—print, audio, and visual literacy. This literacy, broadly speaking, can be at two levels. First, is at the level of training, initiative reaction. Here we communicate the simple, literal meaning of what is written, said or visualized…Or second, we can have creative interaction, can read between the lines, draw inferences, understand the implications of what was written, said, or spoken. We then learn what the speaker, writer or visualize ‘meant to say,’ which requires a greater degree of literacy. And finally, we learn to read beyond the lines, to evaluate, and apply the material to new situations. We use the message in our own varied ways.
I would also classify responses as uncritical or accepting, or as critical and evaluating. The new literacy involves critical reading, critical listening, and critical observing. It is disciplined thinking about what is read, heard, and visualized.

At the 1992 Aspen Institute of Media Literacy, a conference that helped launch the media literacy movement in the U.S., Patricia Aufderheide authored a report containing the following definition of Media Literacy: “The ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create messages in a variety of forms.”
Since that time, numerous definitions of media literacy have emerged. A close examination of the various descriptions of media literacy by scholars and educators reveals a pattern of common elements that, together, form a definitive definition of the discipline.
* Critical Thinking Skill
Media literacy is a critical thinking skill that enables audiences to decipher the information that they receive through the channels of mass communications.
Steven Schafersman defines critical thinking as follows:
Critical thinking means correct thinking in the pursuit of relevant and reliable knowledge about the world… It is reasonable, reflective, responsible, and skillful thinking that is focused on deciding what to believe or do… A person who thinks critically can ask appropriate questions, gather relevant information, efficiently and creatively sort through this information, reason logically from this information, and come to reliable and trustworthy conclusions about the world that enable one to live and act successfully in it… True critical thinking is higher-order thinking, enabling a person to, for example, responsibly judge between political candidates, serve on a murder trial jury, evaluate society’s need for nuclear power plants, and assess the consequences of global warming. Critical thinking enables an individual to be a responsible citizen who contributes to society, and not be merely a consumer of society’s distractions.

The National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) calls for critical thinking in its In its “Implications for Practice”:
Media literacy education… actively encourage(s) critical thinking in all classrooms… Media literacy education  teachers do not train students to ask IF there is a bias in a particular message (since all media messages are biased), but rather, WHAT the substance, source, and significance of a bias might be.

An essential element of critical thinking found in media literacy is Inquiry, the act of questioning. Renee Hobbs declares,
At the center of media literacy education must be the pedagogy of inquiry, which is the act of asking questions about media texts…The cultivation of an open, questioning, reflective, and critical stance towards symbolic texts should be the pole of the media literacy umbrella, as it is the
concept most likely to ensure its survival.”

Critical Viewing and Listening skills are additional critical thinking skills applied to media literacy.  Elizabeth Thoman, founder of the Center for Media Literacy, observes,

Learning to analyze and question what is in the frame, how it is constructed and what may have been left out. Skills of critical viewing are best learned through inquiry-based classes or interactive group activities, as well as from creating and producing one’s own media messages.

Indeed, Renee Hobbs and Richard Frost have found that media literacy education enhances students’ general critical thinking skills:

When 11th-grade students who received year-long media literacy instruction as part of their English course were compared to a control group enrolled in the same level course without the media literacy component, the media literate students outperformed the other students
on the same assessment. Media literacy instruction
improved students’ reading, viewing and listening
comprehension of print, audio and video texts,
message analysis and interpretation, and writing
skills. 7

* Autonomy
Media literacy furnishes individuals with the tools to make independent choices with regard to: 1) which media programming to select and 2) interpreting the information that they receive through the channels of mass communication. According to W. James Potter, media communicators frequently lull audience members into a state of automaticity, “where our minds operate without any conscious effort from us”:

A great deal of the time, media exposure is done mindlessly… (Media communicators) use programming strategies to condition you into habitual exposure states and then reinforce those habits.

The National Telemedia Council states that, in response to this passive mindset,  media literacy fosters “mindful viewing, reflective judgment”:

Media literacy is the ability to choose, to understand–within the context of content, form/style, impact, industry and production–to question, to evaluate, to create and/or produce and to respond thoughtfully to the media we consume.

FCC Commissioner Michael Copps observes that encouraging a critical independence is particularly valuable in the development of children and adolescents:
(The study of media literacy) teaches kids not only how to use the media but how the media uses them. Kids need to know how particular messages get crafted and why, what devices are used to hold their attention and what ideas are left out.  In a culture where media is pervasive and invasive, kids need to think critically about what they see, hear and read. No child’s education can be complete without this.”

* Contexts

Media literacy furnishes insight into the impact of various contexts on the construction of media messages. British media scholar Cary Bazalgette observes, “Evaluating content…rests on a substantial body of knowledge regarding the broader social, cultural, economic, political, and historical contexts in which media content is produced.”       Influences on the media include: historical, geopolitical, economic, and cultural context, as well as the impact of the media industry and the traditions and formulae of media genres.

* Understanding the Process of Mass Communication
Beyond teaching about particular texts, media literacy fosters an understanding of the process of media communications.
The basic communications model consists of the following elements:
•    The communicator is the person who delivers the message.
•    The message is the information being communicated.
•    The channel refers to the passage through which the information is being conveyed.  For example, voice, eyes, and facial expressions are used as channels for interpersonal communication.
•    The audience consists of the person or people who receive the message.
In mass communication, the media–newspapers, photographs, film, radio, television, and the Internet–serve as channels for the communication of information to large groups of people who are separated in time and/or space from the media communicator.

Mass Communications Model
When Marshall McLuhan declared, “The medium is the message,” he was suggesting that the media have reconfigured the traditional communications model. The channels of mass communications have now assumed a primary role in determining the choice of communicator, the message, and the audience (see Figure 1).
To illustrate, in broadcast news programming, the medium of television dictates the choice of communicator. Anchorpersons must be likable, convincing, and attractive. To that end, the Fox News Network keeps stylists on staff whose task is to make their anchors and reporters more appealing to a young audience. In the process, journalistic ability has become subordinate to performance skills.
The characteristics of a medium also affect the content of a news presentation. Print journalism lends itself to the detailed presentation of complex issues. Consequently, newspaper coverage of a story tends to be issues-oriented, providing detailed context and background.
Finally, the choice of medium has a significant impact on the audience. To illustrate, television is the most credible source of news, including word of mouth.

Post-modern Communications Model
The emergence of digital communication has expanded the process of media literacy, incorporating the distinctive interactive characteristics of new media. Digital media fosters an interactive participation that media scholar Kathleen Tyner characterizes as “critical, investigatory, and creative uses of information.”
Indeed, the interactive character of digital media has reconfigured the Mass Communications model (see Figure 1), as the audience has become a factor at an earlier stage of the communication process.

Figure 1
COMMUNICATIONS MODELS

Interpersonal Communications Model    Mass Communications Model
Communicator                                Channel
*                                          *
Message                                   Communicator
*                                                     *
Channel                                 Message
*                                          *
Audience                                        Audience

Post-modern Communications Model
Channel
Audience
Communicator                                                                    Message

One of the distinguishing features of the Post-modern Communications Model is that the audience is able to bypass traditional media gatekeepers and act as their own content providers. As an example, most people who attend movies in the U.S. are between the ages of 18 to 24. Consequently, producers devote their attention to finding actors and actresses who resonate with this target audience, as well as stories that appeal to this group.

An Awareness of the Impact of Media
The media have assumed a major role in the lives of individuals. Photographs, DVDs, and videos document and preserve personal identity. In addition, the media transmit family histories to succeeding generations, recording significant events such as birthdays, anniversaries, graduation, and weddings. Language, fashion, and social activities revolve around the media.

Our common cultural experience is defined largely through media consumption.  People must remain current on popular programs in order to maintain membership in particular subcultures. The media also help to define popular taste. For instance, the average American is subjected to 12,000 mechanized sitcom laughs during a prime-time season, setting the norm for what is funny.
In addition, the media play an increasingly prominent role in the socialization process. At times, an individual’s contact with the outside world has become dependent on the media. To illustrate, in her study of media usage in retirement centers, Mary Cassata described aging as a process of “social disengagement” from family, friends, job, and health. Cassata found that members of retirement centers rely on the media in response to the vacuum created by this process of social disengagement.
Further, the media play an increasingly prominent role in the establishment and enforcement of social norms. Which is the proper salad fork? How should you approach a woman or gentleman you would like to meet? What tennis shoes should you wear? All of these questions can be answered through careful attention to media programming.
* Awareness of Media Content as “Text”
The study of media presentations can have a hermeneutic, or interpretive function, furnishing a means of understanding culture. Because the western media is a market-driven industry, mass communicators must offer popular programming that attracts a large audience share. The term “popular” connotes acceptance, approval, and shared values among large numbers of people. Successful media communicators have learned to anticipate the interests and concerns of the audience. On the other hand, if we are truly offended by violent television programs, we won’t watch them; programming with low ratings is soon cancelled. Consequently, the study of media presentations can provide insight into the cultural issues, concerns, and patterns of thought that define a culture.
* The Development of Strategies with Which to Analyze and Discuss Media Messages

Media literacy does not focus on interpretations of particular media presentations. Instead, media literacy furnishes strategies that enable individuals to decipher information they receive through channels of mass communications. The National Association for Media Literacy Education states, “Media literacy is the ability to encode and decode the symbols transmitted via media and the ability to synthesize, analyze and produce mediated messages.”
In addition, media literacy education teaches students to ask the types of questions that will allow them to gain a deeper understanding of media messages. W. James Potter has identified the following Seven Skills of Media Literacy:

1. Analysis: breaking down a message into meaningful
elements.
2. Evaluation—judging the value of an element; the
judgment is made by comparing the element to some
standard.
3. Grouping—determining which elements are alike in some
way; determining which elements are different in some
way.
4. Induction—inferring a pattern across a small set of
elements, then generalizing the pattern to all in the set.
5. Deduction—using general principles to explain
particulars.
6. Synthesis—assembling elements into a new structure.
7. Abstracting—creating a brief, clear and accurate.
description capturing the essence of a message in a
smaller number of words than the message itself. 9

A number of quantitative and qualitative methodologies can be applied to the media and media content. These approaches enable individuals to see media content from different perspectives. According to the National Association of Media Literacy Education (NAMLE),
Media Literacy Education is not about replacing students’ perspectives with someone else’s (your own, a teacher’s, a media critic’s, an expert’s, etc.). Sharing a critique of media without also sharing the skills that students need to critically analyze media for themselves is not sound MLE practice. This includes presenting media literacy videos, films, books or other curriculum materials as a substitute for teaching critical inquiry skills.13

In that regard, the discipline of media literacy is expansive rather than reductive. Depending on the specific area of study, one approach may be more useful than others.
Thus, in becoming familiar with various critical approaches as tools, individuals are able to systematically analyze media content (with support from the media “text”). In all cases, media literacy education trains students to use document-based evidence and well-reasoned arguments to support their conclusions.

*Cultivating an Appreciation of Media

Media literacy should not be merely an opportunity to bash the media. Instead, media literacy should increase the individual’s understanding and enjoyment of the media—particularly in light of the limited resources and time/space constraints facing the media communicator.
The media are simply channels of communication. As such, the media are neither good nor evil. At its best, the media offer insightful articles, informative news programs, and uplifting films. What determines the value and effectiveness of a media message, includes: who is producing the message, what the function is, and the target audience.

* The Ability to Comprehend, Interpret, and Construct Messages, Using the Different “Languages” of Media

Each medium is defined by a set of distinctive characteristics that influence how it presents information. For instance, radio obviously cannot employ visuals in transmitting information. However, the radio producer can appeal to listeners’ imaginations through creative use of words and sound effects.
The National Association of Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) calls attention to the importance of recognizing the distinctive characteristics of individual media systems:

Each medium has different characteristics, strengths, and a unique “language” of construction… MLE enables students to express their own ideas through multiple forms of media (e.g., traditional print, electronic, digital, user-generated, and wireless) and helps students make connections between comprehension and inference-making in print, visual, and audio media.13

Neil Postman declares, “Being illiterate in the processes of any medium (language) leaves one at the mercy of those who control it.”   Neil Postman/Charles Weingartner
In 2009, the average American consumed approximately 34 gigabytes of data and information each day—an increase of about 350 percent over nearly three decades. Significantly, at the same time, the amount of time individuals spent reading actually declined. Consequently, many corporations now place a value on employees who have the ability to interpret and construct messages, using the different “languages” of media, such as video, audio, and the Internet.
* Production
The term “production” has three distinct applications with regard to the discipline of media literacy:
Production as Mode of Analysis A familiarity with production techniques employed in the construction of media messages adds a distinctive and important component to media literacy analysis. Through hands-on media production experience, students discover that the production choices they make (e.g., what to include, omit, camera angle, and selection of images) reinforce the manifest message of the media communicator or convey independent messages. For instance, the “shaky-cam” camera technique commonly employed in television commercials suggests that the program is authentic and spontaneous, so that the audience should believe what they see.
In addition, a production approach to media literacy education facilitates an understanding of the process of media production.  As they produce a media program, the media production team must identify its audience, including their background and interests. In addition, they must define the goals and objectives of the project—what they want to accomplish, and what messages they wish to convey. Another consideration involves pre-production, including research, legal issues, budgeting, and casting.
Finally, hands-on production enables students to recognize narrative conventions as they appear in mainstream media presentations. In the process, students become aware of why TV dramas and news stories are presented in a certain way.
Significantly, many teachers of video production attest that student who are exposed to this “media literacy” approach to video production produce video projects that are superior to the work produced using the traditional approach to video production.
instructors attest that a media literacy approach to the study of video helps students understand the messages conveyed by their production choices.
Production of Media Literacy Educational Materials Some independent video production companies promote media literacy by producing programming that focuses on media literacy issues, including:
•    The Association for Independent Video and Filmmakers
•    The Foundation for Independent Video and Film
•    Boston Film and Video Foundation
•    The Northwest Film Center

In addition, media arts programs provide insight into the construction of meaning by combining production with critical analysis. Examples of media arts programs include:
•    The National Alliance for Media Arts and Culture
•    Southwest Alternate Media Project (SWAMP)
•    Minnesota Center for Arts Education
•    MediaRites
•    Media Working Group Inc.
•    911 Media Arts Center
•    L.A. Freeway

Other media production companies, such as Educational Video Center, Listen Up Network, and International Telcom Services Inc., are developing media literacy curriculum materials for classroom use.
The evolution of cheaper and more accessible digital media has made it easier to become a media producer.  Sonia Livingstone explains,
In key respects, content creation is easier than ever: One and the same technology can be used for sending and receiving, with desktop publishing software,
easy-to-use web creation software, digital cameras and webcams putting professional expertise into the hands of everyone. Many are already content producers,
developing complex literacy skills through the use of e-mail, chat, and games. The social consequences of these activities—participation, social capital, civic
culture—serve to network (or exclude) today’s younger
generation. 12
Producing Responsible Media Messages In order to truly improve the media industry, media communicators must also be aware of the responsibilities involved in producing thoughtful programming that serves the best interests of the public.  Applying the principles of media literacy helps media professionals produce responsible programming.
*Industry Considerations
Media literacy focuses attention on ways in which the media industry affects content. Canadian Education Specialist Jane Tallim explains,
(Media Literacy) is the instinct to question what lies behind media productions—the motives, the money, the values and the ownership—and to be aware of how these factors influence content”

In the U.S, the media are owned primarily by large, private conglomerates, which are driven to maximize their profit. This economic imperative affects content in the following ways:
•    Homogeneity of content
•    Support of status quo
•    Programming as “product”
•    Derivative programming
•    Conflicts of interest
•    Ignoring public service responsibilities

Institutional Analysis is an approach that analyzes media content as a manifestation of institutional power. Institutional process analysis uses interviews, participant observation, and the study of records to examine the scheme of power roles, and its impact on decision-making in communications. Media institutions may be examined in terms of the following elements:
•    Types of power roles or groups within the institution: authorities, patrons, management, auxiliaries, colleagues, competitors, and publics
•    Types of Leverage: political, military, control over resources and  personnel, access to specialized services and authorities
•    Functions of institutions: to arbitrate, regulate, set conditions for the supply and operation of funds, set and supervise policies and standards
The structure of media organizations has an impact on the selection, emphasis, and treatment of media content. Elizabeth Thoman adds that an examination of industry considerations can generate questions with regard to current public policy:
The stage of social, political, and economic analysis of mass media involves exploring deeper issues of who produces the media, and for what purpose. This inquiry can sometimes set the stage for various media advocacy efforts to challenge or redress public policies or corporate practices.8

* Promoting Democratic Ideal

Media activism is a prominent sector of media literacy that is committed to taking steps to democratize the communications environment, both nationally and globally. The Aspen Institute National Leadership Conference on Media Literacy presented media activism as a logical “next step” to the media literacy process:

Is media literacy important only to the extent that it enables one to be a better citizen in society? What is the role of ideology in the process? To what extent is an individual ‘media literate’ if she just appreciates the aesthetics of a message without going further with it?

According to Wally Bowen, Executive Director of Citizens for Media Literacy, a community media literacy organization in Asheville, North Carolina, media literacy can empower the citizens in a community:
Media literacy seeks to empower citizens and to transform their passive relationship to media into an active, critical engagement—capable of challenging the traditions and structures of a privatized, commercial media culture, and finding new avenues of citizen speech and discourse.

Thanks to the efforts of organizations such as Free Press (www.freepress.com) and Action Coalition for Media Education (ACME), media activists from across the country are employing different strategies that share common goal of broadening and diversifying ownership of the media industry. Thus, in 2006, thanks largely to a grassroots movement organized by Free Press, a two-year moratorium was established that preserved the principle of net neutrality as part of an agreement for a merger between AT&T and the Bell companies.
In addition, Media Justice has emerged as a movement designed to enable the voice of the masses to be heard in the media. According to the media justice organization Reclaim the Media, the work of the media justice movement is “pursuing a more just society by transforming our media system and expanding the communication rights of ordinary people through grassroots organizing, education, networking and advocacy”   (Reclaim the Media, 2010, What We Do, ¶ 1) Reference not included on supplied list.
In 2007, a Media Reform Conference was held in Memphis, Tennessee.   Three thousand activists from around the country gathered to share ideas with respect to the democratization of the U.S. media industry. Workshops included the following topics:
o    Effective Grassroots Lobbying
o    How to Challenge a Broadcast License
o    Connecting Community-based Media Organizations Across America
o    Get Radio: What you Need to Know to Start Your Own Station

Media literacy educators have extended the notion of “democracy” beyond its political connotation. The New Mexico Media Literacy Project regards media literacy as democratic in terms of challenging established ways of thought:

The New Mexico Media Literacy Project wants to remain the most successful grassroots media literacy project in the United States… (W)e want to promote democracy through citizen and parent activism by eroding corporate censorship and passive consumption of the media.

Len Masterman observes that media education is democratic in the sense that it challenges the typical hierarchical structure of our educational system:
•    Media education attempts to change the relationship between teacher and taught by offering both objects for reflection and dialogue.
•    Media education is essentially active and participatory, fostering the development of more open and democratic pedagogues. It encourages students to take more responsibility for and control over their own learning, to engage in joint planning of the syllabus, and to take longer-term perspectives on their own learning. In short, media education is as much  about new ways of working as it is about the     introduction of a new subject area.
•    Media education involves collaborative learning.

This egalitarian education model is problematic for teachers who are used to being the unchallenged classroom authority.  In some cases, this shift has necessitated adjustments on the part of teachers. However, a ten-year study conducted by Apple Classrooms of tomorrow found many positive changes.   Kathleen Tyner notes, “Teachers reported that they were personally working harder and longer hours, but enjoying their work more. They acted more as guides and less as lecturers.” 1

* Anticipating Changes in the Media Landscape
Media literacy education prepares individuals to examine the current state of the media. But in addition, this field of study furnishes strategies that make sense of this rapidly-changing landscape. Neil Anderson, executive member of the Association for Media Literacy, observes,

“Media literacy” is a quality, like a tan, which can be achieved.

For example: “Yo! Check it out! I am media literate!”

“Media education” is an ongoing process, which can develop and evolve.

For example: “Every day, my media education is getting more powerful.”   (Source: Neil Anderson, Association for Media Literacy, in Frank Baker).

* Understanding Key Principles and Concepts of Media Literacy

The following media literacy terms, concepts, and principles are critical to an understanding of media literacy:
*A Medium is a channel of mass communications that enables people to communicate with large groups separated in time and space from the communicator. The principal media include: print, photography, radio, film, television, and interactive media. Less obvious media may include clothing with advertising logos, billboards, and license plates. In some cases, determining whether a channel is a mass medium depends upon its function. Another determinant is whether this channel conveys a message to a large group of people. Thus, if a computer is used to go online, it is a mass medium; but if it is used as a word processor to write a letter, it would fall into the category of “machine-assisted interpersonal communications.”
*  Text refers to productions, programs, and publications produced through print, photography, film, radio, television, and interactive media. Media literacy analysis provides ways to interpret and discuss media texts, such as newspaper articles, webpaes, or a film.
*  Clutter is a term that applies to all of the media messages, competing media programming and visual images that are directed at the media consumer on a daily basis. The overwhelming nature of media clutter can make it difficult for audiences to focus on one particular text for a sustained period of time. For their part, media communicators are faced with the challenge of “breaking through the clutter,” that is, making their presentation so distinct that it will attract the attention of the public. Consequently, news programs may opt for a sensationalized treatment of the day’s events, films and television programs may rely on sex and violence, and rock bands may stretch the limits of convention.
*  Construct  As a verb, “to construct” refers to the process by which a media text is shaped and given meaning. Construct is subject to a variety of decisions and designed to keep the audience interested in the text. As a noun, a construct is a fictional or documentary text that appears to be ‘natural’ or a ‘reflection of reality’ but, in fact, represents only a version of reality. (See “Key Concepts of Media Literacy,” #1, later in this article.)
*  Cumulative Messages appear in the media with such frequency that they form new meanings, independent of any individual presentation. For example, cumulative messages appear in media presentations with regard to gender roles, definitions of success, violence, tobacco products, and racial and cultural stereotypes.
* Neutrality of Channel By itself, a medium is simply a channel of communication and, consequently, is neither good nor evil. A number of factors determine the impact of a media presentation, including: 1) who is producing the presentation; 2) what is the function (or purpose) behind the production of the presentation; and 3) who is the intended audience.

The Key Concepts of Media Literacy, Developed by the Association for Media Literacy at the Request of the Ontario Ministry of Education

1.  All media are constructions.
This is arguably the most important concept. The media do not simply mirror
external reality. Rather, they present carefully crafted constructions that
reflect many decisions and are the result of many determining factors. Media
literacy works toward deconstructing these constructions (i.e., taking
them apart to show how they are made).

2.  The media construct versions of reality.
The media are responsible for the majority of the observations and
experiences from which we build our personal understanding of the world
and how it works. Much of our view of reality is based on media messages
that have been pre-constructed and have attitudes, interpretations, and
conclusions already built in. Thus the media, to a great extent, give us a
sense of reality.

3. Audiences negotiate meaning in media.
If the media provides us with much of the material upon which we build our
picture of reality, each of us finds or “negotiates” meaning according to
individual factors: personal needs and anxieties, the pleasures or troubles
of the day, racial and sexual attitudes, family and cultural background,
moral standpoint, and so forth.

4. Media messages have commercial implications.
Media literacy aims to encourage awareness of how the media are influenced
by commercial considerations and how they impinge on content, technique,
and distribution. Most media production is a business and, as such, must make a
profit. Questions of ownership and control are central: a relatively small
number of individuals control what we watch, read and hear in the media.

5. Media messages contain ideological and value messages.
All media products are advertising in some sense, proclaiming values and ways
of life. The mainstream media convey, explicitly or implicitly, ideological
messages about such issues as the nature of the good life and the virtue of
consumerism, the role of women, the acceptance of authority, and
unquestioning patriotism.

6. Media messages contain social and political implications.
The media have significant influence on politics and social change.
Television can greatly influence the election of a national leader on the
basis of image. The media involve us in concerns such as civil rights,
famines in Africa, and the AIDS epidemic. They give us an intimate sense
of national issues and global concerns, so that we have become
McLuhan’s Global Village.

7. Form and content are closely related in media messages.
As Marshall McLuhan noted, each medium has its own grammar and codifies
reality in its own particular way. Different media will report the same event, but create different impressions and messages.

8. Each medium has a unique aesthetic form.
Just as we notice the pleasing rhythms of certain pieces of poetry or prose,
we should also be able to enjoy the pleasing forms and effects of the media.

NAMLE Core Principles of Media Literacy Education

The purpose of media literacy education is to help individuals of all ages develop the habits of inquiry and skills of expression that they need to be critical thinkers, effective communicators and active citizens in today’s world.

1. Media literacy education requires active inquiry and critical thinking about the messages we receive and create.
2. Media literacy education expands the concept of literacy (i.e., reading and writing) to
include all forms of media.
3. Media literacy education builds and reinforces skills for learners of all ages. Like print literacy, those skills necessitate integrated, interactive, and repeated practice.
4. Media literacy education develops informed, reflective and engaged participants essential for a democratic society.
5. Media literacy education recognizes that media are a part of culture and function as
agents of socialization.
6. Media literacy education affirms that people use their individual skills, beliefs and
experiences to construct their own meanings from media messages.

See also: ACME; Audience Identification Function; Community-based Media Literacy Sector; Free Press; Genre; Media Activism Sector; Media Communicator;
NAMLE; National Telemedia Council; Net Neutrality; Preferred Reading; Reception Theory; Reclaim the Media; Thoman, Elizabeth.

Selected References
Inquiring Minds Want to Know: What is Media Literacy?” The Independent
(August/Sept1993): 22-5.
Bender, David L. and Bruno Leone.  The Mass Media: Opposing Viewpoints.
(Opposing Viewpoints Series) St. Paul, MN: Greenhaven Press, 1988.
Bowles, Derek. Mediacy, 15(3), (Fall, 1993): 8.
Buckingham, David. Children Talking Television: The Making of Television Literacy.
London: Falmer Press, 1993.
Considine,  David. “An Introduction to Media Literacy.” Telemedium. Fall, 1995.
National Telemedia Council, Inc.: Madison, WI.

Potter, Graddol, David and Oliver Boyd-Barrett. “What is a Text” by David Graddol.
Media Texts: Authors and Readers.  Clevedon Avon, England: Multilingual Matters
Ltd. and The Open University, 1994.

Silverblatt, Art. Media Literacy: Keys to Interpreting Media Messages. Westport: CT:
Praeger, 2008.
Thoman, Elizabeth. “Media Literacy: Educating for Today and Tomorrow.”                         Curriculum/Technology Quarterly. Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development. (Spring, 1993).
Real, Michael R.  Super Media: A Cultural Studies Approach.  Newbury Park, Cal:
Sage Publications, 1989.

Resource for Teachers on Copyright and Fair Use in the Classroom

Now that the spring semester is over, I’m in the process of retooling my courses for the fall.  While catching up on my favorite sites today, I came across this link from the Temple University’s Media Education Lab.

Those of us media educators know how important the use of copyrighted material is for learning about media literacy in the classroom.  But sometimes, there’s so much gray area surrounding what is “fair use”?

I hope you’ll find these lesson plans as helpful as I do.  Check them out, and see what you can use in your classrooms next fall.  Below is a video that gives us an overview of why educators need clarification:

And while we’re on the subject of lesson plans, I’ve always found these links on Frank Baker’s Web site helpful as well.  Good luck to all the teachers finishing up the school year – I hope your summer vacation will allow you time to research and reflect.

Parent Perspective: The game of ‘Telephone’ Digital Style

In March, my school district received an alert from Homeland Security that there was some type of threat intended for schools.  The alert was very vague and in the end, turned out to be intended for schools in the Washington D.C. area.  But, at the time the alert was issued, schools had no better information to go on.

My district acted accordingly by increasing their vigilance at their doors, notifying faculty of the situation and notifying parents via email.  When I received the message I felt assured that my children were safe and went on with my day.  After school, I asked my kids how the day had gone and they reported nothing out of the ordinary.  I was grateful for this seemingly complete non-event in my community.

The next day I was surprised to hear from other parents in my district that they thought the message indicated schools were on “Lockdown.”  One of my friends admitted she had read the message in a hurry and couldn’t be sure of the exact wording.  But another friend indicated she had heard that some children with mobile devices at school contacted their parents to indicate school was on “lockdown.”  I can imagine that these parents experienced some anxiety.

Thankfully, no one was hurt in this situation but it’s a good opportunity to reflect on the role of all involved parties in potential emergency situations.  After all, in a true emergency, everyone (adults and children) on the scene needs to be focusing all attention on the unfolding situation and phone lines need to be as open as possible to coordinate necessary emergency support.  This means anxious parents need to quell their anxiety and refrain from calling the school itself.

Before Columbine and the various school massacres since, parents weren’t aware of an ‘event’ until after the fact.  These school shooting disasters prompted many parents to want the ability to communicate with their kids at any time.  Cell phone technology provided a means to this end and the proliferation of mobile devices within school walls allows information—accurate or inaccurate–to be passed along at lightning speed and this is a new reality of childhood and of modern life.

The locking of front doors at schools where that is not standard protocol and “lockdown” are completely distinct situations even though they sound synonymous.   But with digital media vying for the time and attention of our adults and our children, it is a constant battle to find non-digital time to discuss these kinds of intricate details.

When you find time to talk, consider these talking points:

• Explain the differences between increased vigilance and “lockdown”.
• Discuss the roles of students, parents, faculty/administration, emergency responders and how communication devices should and should not be used in potential emergency situations.
• Consider ‘No News is Good News’ as a standing policy for times when direct communication is not an option.
• Suggest strategies for remaining calm during crises and practice them often.
• Create brief ‘media fasts’ where you role model ignoring digital messages and provide experiences for kids to do the same.

Fortunately for parents, the digital age provides an unending stream of opportunities for discussion of actual consequences and potential unintended consequences of all kinds of behaviors, including media usage, when parents carve out the time for such discussions.  I use the word carve intentionally—it’s akin to carving a slab of marble, even in my household with its lower emphasis on media.

Kick….What?! Got another movie pick?

Approaching the ticket counter, I was hesitant to purchase a ticket to Kick-Ass, a reportedly violent movie that exploits a child, touted as a superhero comedy film. I was conflicted, wanting to provide commentary without contributing to the financial success of such an endeavor. As I expressed my dilemma, the young woman behind the window coaxingly stated, “My boyfriend saw it last night and loved it.”  Then she sold me a ticket and I headed into the theater.

If bloody violence, profanity and sexually explicit scenes aren’t enough, toss in a foul-mouthed, gun- totin’ 11-year-old girl (Mindy Macready), and you’ve got a movie that dares to challenge our deepest sensibilities.

Kick-Ass (Dave Lizewski) is no Spiderman superhero, but this satirical story line is strikingly similar, based on a nerdy high school boy who simply gets tired of mean people. Dave traces his unrest back to school bulliers who marginalized him, and when his money is stolen, he reaches a breaking point. Bringing the world of comic book heroes to life, Dave buys a wet suit and decides to parade around town fighting crime. Oh, one important detail – he has no super powers and gets beaten, stabbed, hit by a car and hospitalized on his first attempt.

This notion of beating up mean people attempts to woo the audience into believing the violence is justified. The timeless theme of good conquers evil was hypnotic, watching scene after scene of slicing, dicing, shooting, exploding, and crushing people – all for the greater good. When Mindy shows up in her bullet-proof vest tossing the F-bomb, she and her dad make up a deadly duo out for revenge against the kingpin and his henchmen who were responsible for her mother’s death.

Mindy is a one-girl demolition crew, feverishly killing off the bad guys as her father is brutally tortured and set into flames – then they say their goodbyes as he dies before her. She vows to kill the man now responsible for both his death and that of her mother. She and Kick-Ass succeed in a final bloodbath scene.

In the end, Mindy is taken in by a kinder, more caring man who once told her father, “You owe that kid a childhood.” He drops her off for her first day of school, only steps away from two bulliers who attempt to steal her money as she enters the building. She shows them no mercy.

For those who embrace school safety and bullying prevention, the mixed message – violence brings peace – is troublesome as we look at school violence statistics. After all, schools are simply a microcosm of a bigger picture – that of society. Is this why some parents teach their children to be nice to others until they are treated badly – then anything goes? This message defies the civility we desire in schools and in the workplace. Imagine what would happen in the workplace if we reacted violently to a coworker’s behavior. At one point, someone even says that killing won’t bring back Mindy’s mother. This many wrongs cannot make it right.

The theme of violent revenge at the hands of a child should reinforce with unquestionable certainty the notion that bullying will continue to live and breathe in our schools. The bullying cycle of pain, rage and revenge can only end when someone decides to surrender the need for retaliation. There is evidence that pleasure centers in the brain are triggered when we seek revenge, so can it be counter-intuitive to withhold our angry response?  As long as we demonstrate pleasure and a need to respond with violence, we will perpetuate a violent society. If we are called to a higher level of thinking, how can we exercise our courage muscles and choose healthy ways to resolve conflict?

Early in the movie, Dave says, “we see someone in trouble and we wish we could help, but we don’t.” This is what typically happens to witnesses of bullying. They simply haven’t been taught the skills and strategies for intervening in healthy ways. Adults can take advantage of teachable moments for building empathy and empowering witnesses to be the true agents of change. This can only happen when we take critical moments of conflict and break them down to discover what is causing the tension and harm. Talking through incidents helps children to discover compassion and empathy, and learn to prevent new conflicts, or solve those that come along with more skill.

As a writer and trainer for violence prevention with BJC School Outreach, our work with children K-12 is founded on the belief that creating safe places to learn and grow must begin with adults. Children learn from us – we are the first teachers of conflict resolution. If we address smaller incidents of harm, we can prevent more escalated acts of violence. In either case, we must teach children kindness as a way of life. When Hollywood produces a movie that makes in-your-face graphic violence an acceptable means to an end, it leaves viewers reeling and reinforces the negative.

According to the National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE), there are key questions that can help viewers to critically think about any media message: What ideas, values, and perspectives are overt, or implied? What is the intended message? Who might be harmed by it? Why might this message matter to me? What kinds of actions might I take in response to this message? What techniques are used to communicate the message?

Based on these questions, we might find a deeper, more pressing issue about our culture. What are we communicating to the next generation who will take our places in society?  I wanted to ask the woman behind the ticket window what her boyfriend “loved” about the movie, but truthfully, the movie pulled me in, too. How can we challenge moviemakers to skillfully use their artful techniques to truly create more civility based on themes of courage – the courage it takes to walk away from revenge? The courage to apologize, and to recognize the end cannot justify the means. Let’s leave kids out of the mix when it comes to this kind of violent, abusive display and model the kind of culture we want for them.

Lynne Lang is Curriculum Development Manager for BJC School Outreach & Youth Development and a certified Olweus Bullying Prevention trainer. lynne.lang@bjc.org

Talking to Strangers – A Trend in Minimalist Social Media

As communication technology develops rapidly, younger generations are embracing this brave new world while older generations are getting lost in the shuffle. As a result, we are faced with a harsh irony:  We live in an intensely technologically connected world where communication is cheaply and readily available.  But despite all the avenues of communication, the population seems to be growing further apart as a result.

Technology has divided us in its attempts to connect us.  Younger users have fully embraced the new technology and utilize it almost everyday.  Text messaging and social networking sites are common tools for this generation and much of their communicating is done using these venues.  The ease and convenience of communicating via text over a server or sending photos and video to each other is an everyday part of life and they find it difficult to imagine a world without it.  The cell phone is more of a life-line than a convenient way to stay in touch, the computer and Internet have become a source of identity and less of a device.

Many older users feel as though social networking sites (such as the dominant Facebook) are an invasion of their privacy.  Where teenagers and students see their profile as a representation of themselves, an online persona to advertise themselves to the rest of the world, many from the older generation see this new technology as Orwellian and unnecessary.  Though it is admirable to see people so young taking to new technology so easily, as a global community many wonder what affect this somewhat stilted communication will have on their overall social development later in life.

These questions and debates on social media have existed for almost a decade, and the real effects of frequently using these channels of communication are constantly being evaluated.  However, most social media sites have followed the same formula: Profile based communities in which users can manipulate their profile page however they like.  Your profile can accurately represent who you really are, or you can craft it to create a persona of what you would like to be viewed as.  It sounds deceptive, but many young people who feel they have no control over their decisions can feel empowered by being able to fully manipulate a digital representation of themselves.

The assumption was that as technology progressed, so too would social media.  Facebook and Myspace were only the beginning, and many felt that the trend towards these profile-based sites, bloated with apps, features, and games, would only grow in size and in user options.

Recently, however, it would appear that social media is shaping up to be a far more minimalist experience.  Twitter is the first example of a scaled down social media site.  With only 140 characters allowed per post, this site prides itself on its brevity.  Though one would think this is a step backwards, the simplicity and convenience of getting your opinions to the world via Twitter became so popular even congressional hearings began to have politicians tweeting live during debates.  Because of Twitter’s simple interface and permeation in our culture, users other than young people began sharing personal information to a mass audience.

The minimalist trend continues with Chatroulette.com, designed and created by a 17 year old from Moscow, this site uses video chat technology similar to the video communication service, Skype.  However, what makes Chatroulette so unique is the anonymous nature of your communications with others.  Unlike any of the previously established social networking sites, you cannot log-in or create a profile or really alter any aspect of the site.  The purpose of the site is to randomly connect users via video link, if the person who appears on the other end of the screen interests you, you may use text or audio to communicate with them.  If not, just simply skip them and move on to one of the thousands of other people using the site.

Because of the randomness of the interactions and the anonymous contact, people feel comfortable using live video of themselves to communicate with others.  This system would seem ideal considering there is no fabrication of the self or altering of a persona, however Chatroulette exists with no real way to prohibit sexually explicit behavior or other abuses due to its anonymous nature, so be warned.

It is difficult to predict how this technology will develop, but you can already see the impact this site has had on popular culture just since its introduction in November of 2009.  The site began with 500 users per day which quickly increased to almost 50,000 when television shows such as Good Morning America, The Daily Show, and major news publications such as The New York Times featured stories on the emerging site.

When advancements in technology arise that are capable of changing and altering the way we think, speak, and work, resistance will follow.  It is not the advancements themselves that are so frightening to us, it is the quickness and saturation of them in recent years that many find so troublesome.  Chatroulette and Twitter hope to reassess these concerns with a fresh approach to social media, but only time will tell if Internet users choose anonymous communication over the established norm.

Careers in Media Literacy (2010)

Increasingly, students across the U.S. are developing a passionate interest in the field of media literacy. But although these students clearly understand the value of this area of study, they are faced with a practical consideration—namely, what careers are available for those who study media literacy.

Generally speaking, this discipline prepares individuals for any profession requiring critical thinking, research, and writing skills. But more specifically, media literacy students may pursue careers in the following fields:

Education

In the U.S., media literacy is included in the educational standards–what students are expected to know by graduation–in all fifty states. However, relatively few elementary or secondary schools actually teach media literacy, for a variety of reasons:

• With requirements like “No Child Left Behind,” teachers feel overwhelmed.
• Media literacy content does not appear on the state standardized tests—and, consequently, isn’t taught.
• Teachers are not prepared to teach the material.

However, in this era of educational accountability, it is reasonable to expect that media literacy will become part of the curriculum of elementary and secondary schools in the foreseeable future. As a result, there will be a growing demand for teachers who have a background in media literacy.

Faculty positions at the college level should be opening up as well. Currently, over 180 schools of higher education (community colleges, colleges and universities) throughout the U.S. offer coursework or programs in media literacy.

Most media literacy courses can be found in departments of communication. However, as more elementary and secondary school districts begin to implement their media literacy requirements, require media, there also will be an increasing demand for faculty members in departments of education to teach the teachers. Further, schools such as Morehead State University and Wesley College have added media literacy courses to their general education requirements for all of its students. If this trend catches on, the additional number of course offerings will increase the demand for instructors in this field.

Numerous organizations promote media literacy education in the United States, including:

• The Center for Media Education
• The National Alliance for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE)
• Media Education Foundation
• American Society of Educators (ASE)
• The National PTA – Children First & Media Programming
• Media Workshop New York
• Michigan Association for Media in Education
• National Association for the Education of Young Children
• Project LOOK SHARP

In addition, enterprising media literacy graduates may work as educational consultants. Career opportunities include:

• Introducing media literacy to groups that are not reached through the conventional school system. Speaking to parents’ groups such as Parent/Teacher Organizations (PTOs) about the value of media literacy education has the added benefit of enlisting support for the implementation of the mandate for media literacy education in the schools. Administrators may not be attentive to the recommendations of teachers, but they are extremely responsive to parental concerns.
• Conducting professional development workshops for teachers. School districts routinely offer professional development programs to enhance their teachers’ instructional skills. Since most current teachers haven’t been exposed to media literacy curricula, professional development sessions provide an opportunity to introduce teachers to the principles of media literacy and assist them in developing classroom lessons.
• Developing classroom materials for teachers. Media coverage of news events, new films, advertising campaigns, and Internet developments provide innumerable “teachable moments” that illustrate and extend the principles of media literacy. However, teachers frequently lack the time to develop these relevant and timely lesson plans and curricula. These teaching materials could be distributed over the Internet on a subscription basis.
• Preparing parents to help their children contend with media-related issues, such as messages in video games and violence in the media. To illustrate, Parents as Teachers is an organization designed to equip parents to work with preschool children, so that they can become sensitive to the impact of the media, as well as learn some of the basic approaches to media literacy analysis. Significantly, even young children can become aware of the influence of production values such as music in a media presentation. And in the process, both young children and their parents become more critical consumers of media.

Business

In 2009, the average American consumed approximately 34 gigabytes of data and information each day — an increase of about 350 percent over nearly three decades At the same time, however, the amount of time that individuals spent reading actually declined.1 Consequently, many companies now place a value on employees who have the ability to interpret and construct messages, using the different “languages” of media, such as film & television, audio, and the Internet.

Elizabeth Daley, Dean of the School of Cinema-Television at the University of Southern California explains, “The greatest digital divide is between those who can read and write with media, and those who can’t. Our core knowledge needs to belong to everybody.”2 To illustrate, 60 academic courses at U.S.C. now require students to create term papers and projects that use video, sound and Internet components

In addition, premier business schools such as Harvard, Stanford, and The Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto have redesigned their curriculum to emphasize critical thinking—the foundation of media literacy. Garth Saloner, Dean of Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, declares, “If I’m going to really launch you on a career or path where you can make a big impact in the world, you have to be able to think critically and analytically about the big problems in the world.”3

Steve McConnell, a managing partner of NBBJ, an architecture firm based in Seattle, has noticed a distinctly different approach in the Rotman students he has hired. “They seemed to be naturally free of the bias or predisposition that so many of us seem to carry into any situation. And they brought a set of skills in how you query and look into an issue without moving toward biased or predetermined conclusions that has led to unexpected discoveries of opportunity and potential innovation.”4

Recognizing this connection, Business and Management majors at Webster University can supplement their program of study with an 18-hour Certificate in Media Literacy.

Graduate Study

The discipline of media literacy is an excellent preparation for graduate study in a variety of disciplines. First, an undergraduate degree provides a solid foundation for continued study in media literacy and media studies (e.g., journalism, media studies, film studies production programs in video, film, and interactive media). In addition, coursework in media literacy is also valuable for students interested in graduate programs requiring research and critical thinking skills, such as public policy or law school.

Research

Media literacy students have become proficient at conducting research. A number of research centers affiliated with universities provide ongoing analysis of the media industry and media content, including:

* The Black Film Center Archives at Indiana University

* Media Hyperlinks: Northwestern University

* Media Lab at MIT.

* Television and Violence- Kansas State

* Yale University Family TV Research and Consultation Center

In addition, privately funded organizations examine media coverage, including:

* The Center on Blacks and the Media (CBM)

* Center for Research on the Effects of Television

* The Center for Research on the Influences of Television on Children

* Mediascope.

* Media Study

* Media Watch

* The On Television Project

* Television Information Office

* UNESCO International Clearinghouse on Children and Violence on the Screen

In addition, media literacy students can apply these research methodologies in a variety of other fields requiring qualitative and quantitative research skills, such as marketing and advertising.

Writing

A number of publications, both print and on the Internet, focus on media analysis, including:

• FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Media)
• Media Reality Check
• American Journalism Review
• Project for Excellence in Journalism
• Media Literacy for Prevention, Critical Thinking, Self Esteem
• The on-line project—University of Oregon

Surprisingly, media literacy analysis also appears throughout the popular press. To illustrate, many newspapers and magazines include media critics on their staff. Many of these critics have a narrow conception of their role, providing superficial reviews of films and television programs. However, others have broadened their discussions to examine cultural trends, as reflected through media programming. In addition, feature stories and entertainment journalism can also reflect cultural attitudes, values, behaviors, preoccupations and myths.

Media Literacy Organizations

The mission of media literacy organizations is to promote the field of media literacy, as well as collecting and disseminating media literacy information. They also sponsor programs and conferences throughout the country. Examples of media literacy organizations include:

• Center for Media Literacy
• Center for Media Education
• About Face
• The National Alliance for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE)
• National Telemedia Council
• Gateway Media Literacy Partners (GMLP)

Other organizations promote goals associated with media literacy. These organizations include:

• Children Now
• Action for Children’s Television
• Children’s Advertising Review Unit
• National Alliance for Non-Violent Programming

In addition, organizations formed by the newspaper, film, and television industries have instituted programs that promote critical understanding of the media. These programs are a very powerful and effective voice for media literacy outreach, lending valuable expertise and legitimacy to media literacy. Professional media organizations include:

• The Newspaper Association of America Foundation
• Creating Critical Viewers (National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences)
• Show Coalition
• The Taos Film Festival

Media Activism

Media reform activities are designed to democratize our communications environment. Organizations have been formed that analyze the political and economic impact of the media industry and identify strategies to implement change. In some cases, public policy organizations work in partnership with educational institutions, community organizations, and media literacy associations to promote changes in media policy. Organizations involved in media literacy activities include:

• Center for Media and Public Affairs (CMPA).
• The Consumer Federation of America,
• The Center for Digital Democracy
• The Media Access Project.
• The Annenberg Public Policy Center University of Pennsylvania.
• Center for Commercial-Free Public Television
• Center for Democracy and Technology.
• Center for Living Democracy (CLD)

Media activism also includes activities such as lobbying state and federal educational agencies. Identifying funding agencies willing to lend its support is an ongoing challenge facing these groups. But successful programs can make a significant contribution to the culture.

Community Media Activities

Religious organizations, public access groups, and privately funded organizations have established media literacy programs in their communities. These outreach efforts reach audiences typically not reached by academic institutions. Examples include:

• Community Media Workshop
• The Southern New Mexico Media Literacy Coalition (SNMMLC)
• Media Literacy Working Group
• Media Network
• Northwest Media Literacy Institute (NMLI)
• Alliance for Community Media
• Media Aware
• Media Center for Children (MCC)
• Davis Community Television
• Plugged In
• Public TV Outreach Alliance
• American Center for Children’s Television.
• Children’s Music Network (CMN).
• New Mexico Media Literacy Project
• Taos County Media Literacy Network
• National Foundation to Improve Television (NFIT)

Media Production

The study of media literacy in combination with production areas, preparing students for careers in broadcast and print journalism, advertising, radio, television, film, and interactive media. Applying the principles of media literacy helps media professionals produce responsible and informative programming. For instance, news and documentary programs such as Frontline and On the Media heighten awareness of the impact of the media on our culture.

In addition, independent video producers promote media literacy by producing programming that focuses on media literacy issues. Production companies include:

• The Association for Independent Video and Filmmakers
• The Foundation for Independent Video and Film
• Boston Film and Video Foundation
• The Northwest Film Center.

Another avenue for media production consists of media arts programs, which provide insight into the construction of meaning by combining production with critical analysis. Examples of media arts programs include:

• The National Alliance for Media Arts and Culture
• Southwest Alternate Media Project (SWAMP)
• Minnesota Center for Arts Education
• MediaRites
• Media Working Group Inc,
• 911 Media Arts Center
• L.A. Freeway.

Other media production opportunities involve developing media literacy curriculum materials for classroom use. Examples of production companies that specialize in media literacy classroom materials include: Educational Video Center, Listen Up Network, and Intl Telcom Services Inc.

Conclusion

This article is an effort to identify trends that can help media literacy students look for professional applications for their interests and skills. The organizations identified in the article are merely intended to serve as examples and by no means represent a comprehensive list.

It should also be made clear that I am not posting jobs, nor am I suggesting that the organizations that I cited have current job openings. The article should serve as a springboard for students to conduct further investigation into careers in media literacy.

It is quite possible that this article presents an overly-optimistic scenario with respect to one career path or has overlooked another area entirely. I welcome feedback from media literacy professionals and job seekers, so that I can update the article to make it as accurate as possible.

Art Silverblatt, Ph.D

Professor, Department of Communication and Journalism

Webster University

St. Louis,, Mo.

Silveram@webster.edu

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1 Nick Bilton, “Part of the Daily American Diet, 34 Gigabytes of Data,” New York Times, December 9, 2009

2 Elizabeth Van Ness, “Is a Cinema Studies Degree the New M.B.A.?” New York Times, March 6, 2005

3 Lane Wallace, “Multicultural Critical Theory. At B-School?” New York Times January

4 Lane Wallace, “Multicultural Critical Theory. At B-School?” New York Times January 10, 2010

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