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Media Literacy for Political Engagement Critical Thinking and Media in COM 110 Media Literacy Skills Access : Know how to use technology and sear for and find relevant information. Understand : Know how to make sense of media information.
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Media Literacy for Political Engagement Critical Thinking and Media in COM 110
Media Literacy Skills • Access: Know how to use technology and sear for and find relevant information. • Understand: Know how to make sense of media information. • Analyze: Examine the content to ascertain purpose, point of view, accuracy, and timeliness. • Evaluate: Determine the value of media content for yourself and others. • Create: Produce your own media messages—video, photographs, web page, podcast, documentary, etc.
Applying Media Literacy Concepts Focus on News
News Messages are Constructed • Who decides what is newsworthy? • Who writes, edits, designs and produces the news? • What is the purpose of the message? • How do deadlines of time and space affect news coverage? • Who are the readers, viewers, and listeners?
News Media and Language • How is the news story reported? Does it meet the ethical standards of fairness, objectivity, and balance? • What elements or techniques are used to gain the audience’s attention? • How are visuals used (photographs, editorial cartoons, etc.)?
News Audiences and Perception • How does news coverage affect perceptions of people, places, and ideas? • What meaning does a news story have for people with differing values, beliefs, and attitudes? • How do people of different ages, incomes, genders, sexual orientations, racial and ethnic backgrounds interpret the news?
News as Business • Who owns, profits from, and pays for news? • How is content affected by organizational forces, resources, constraints, and geographical focus? • Does the profit motive undermine the social responsibility of news organizations?
Media Literacy Assignment • Define a problem/issue within the community that needs to be addressed. • Conduct a search for information to determine the scope of the problem—local, state, national, or global. • Identify current or pending policies (local, state, national, or international) that affect how the problem might be solved. • Develop three strategies (solutions to the problem) to actively address the problem. • Design a way to communicate your analysis of the problem and proposed solution to others (e.g., public service announcement, advertising campaign, documentary, letter to the editor, etc.). • Reflect on your experience. What does this project tell you about the importance of media literacy both as a consumer and producer of media information?