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The Role of Media in Supporting Civic Education: A Thai-German Experience Exchange

The Role of Media in Supporting Civic Education: A Thai-German Experience Exchange. Bangkok, 27/5/2009 Political Development Council, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Dr. Wolfgang Schulz. 1. 2. 3. 4. A Definition of Civic Education. The Educational Mandate of Public Broadcasters in Germany.

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The Role of Media in Supporting Civic Education: A Thai-German Experience Exchange

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  1. The Role of Media in Supporting Civic Education:A Thai-German Experience Exchange Bangkok, 27/5/2009 Political Development Council, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Dr. Wolfgang Schulz

  2. 1 2 3 4 A Definition of Civic Education The Educational Mandate of Public Broadcasters in Germany The German Federal Agency for Civic Education Current Challenges for “the Media” Overview

  3. A Definition of Civic Education

  4. Civic Education, or Citizenship Education – What Is It? “Civic education means the multiple processes through which children and young adults acquire the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that are needed for effective democratic citizenship. Civic knowledge and participation are not passed down through the genetic code - they require that each generation of students learn civic facts, explore democratic ideals and connect such concepts to the responsibility of citizenship.” [Source: nace, National Alliance for Civic Education, http://www.cived.net/]

  5. Civic Education, or Citizenship Education – Contributors Schools(kindergartens?) Institutions of civic education(such as the Political Development Councilor the Federal Agency for Civic Education) “The media”,esp. broadcasting(such as TV, radio,Internet) & press Civiceducation Adulteducation A multitude of parties,associations, unions,lobbying groups etc. Parents, family,friends

  6. The Educational Mandate of Public Broadcasters in Germany

  7. Law and the Mandate: Sect. 11 of the Interstate Treaty on Broadcasting and Telemedia “Sect. 11 – Mandate (1) Public service broadcasting must, by producing and broadcasting radio and television channels, act as a medium and a factor in the process of shaping free individual and public opinion. Along with the channels it may offer printed material and telemedia with programming-related content. (2) Public service broadcasting must provide in its offerings and in its programming a comprehensive overview of international, European, national and regional events in all major spheres of life. It should hereby promote international understanding, European integration and social cohesion on a regional and national level. Its programming must serve to inform, educate, advise and entertain. It must, in particular, offer cultural contributions.

  8. Law and the Mandate: Sect. 11 of the Interstate Treaty on Broadcasting and Telemedia (Cont.) Sect. 11 – Mandate (cont.) (3) Public service broadcasting must in fulfilling its mandate take into consideration the principles of objectivity and impartiality of reporting, plurality of opinion and the balance of offerings and programming. (4) The State Broadcasting Corporations which form the ARD, the ZDF, and “Deutschlandradio” shall in each case issue statutes or guidelines providing more detail regarding their respective mandates. […] The Public Broadcasting Corporations which form the ARD, the ZDF, and “Deutschlandradio” shall publish [...] a report on the fulfilment of their respective mandates, on the quality and quantity of the offerings and channels and the planned focal points of the respective programme services on the agenda. (5) […]”

  9. ARD Guidelines 2009/2010 Largely repeating Sect. 11 Interstate Treaty on Broadcasting. “Added value”, e.g.: • Access without hindrance to programmes and services for the whole population. • Comprehensive and accessible for people with disabilities.

  10. The Role of Broadcasting in Germany After World War II Specific role in making Germany democratic again: • Construction of public broadcasters as part of civil society • New self-concept of journalism • The Journalist as an agent of the people • Not only reporting but also explaining and commenting • Aim: Germans shall “learn how to argue“ • Political talk shows • Specific formats with listener feedback (call-in) • Specific educational programmes • “Radio School” • “Radio University”

  11. Sum total Public Private Comparison of the Programmes of Publicand Private Broadcasters by Content [Source: Krüger and Zapf-Schramm, Media Perspektiven 12/2003, pp. 534 ff.,http://www.media-perspektiven.de/uploads/tx_mppublications/12-2003_Krueger_neu.pdf]

  12. Pupils “following” a debate in the Berlin ‘Reichstag’ (German parliament) [Source: Hessischer Rundfunk Online, http://www.hr-online.de/website/specials/wissen/index.jsp?rubrik=6568&key=standard_document_6656342&lugal=1&ibp=0] Conclusions and Observations I Traditional conception: Education by informational programmes (only). • Share of classical information TV format has been steadily decreasing over the last decades. • Pure political and educational TV without any traces of entertainment/ “edutainment” is rarely broadcast nowadays. • TV for advanced education has virtually disappeared.

  13. Conclusions and Observations II BUT: It is not all bad. – “Entertainment-topia“ due to more recent developments/insights: Education by entertainment (too). Traditional segmentation(schematic representation) Transition to “embedded information particles”throughout all genres(schematic representation)

  14. The German Federal Agency for Civic Education(‘Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung,’ bpb)

  15. The Federal Agency for Civic Education –Organisation and Activities A subordinate agency of the Federal Ministry of the Interior. Offers educational content for pupils, i. e. children and adolescents. Emphases 2006/2007 • Migration and integration • Fighting right-wing extremism • Building Europe • Football World Championship Budget • Sum total 2006: EUR 35,9 million • Sum total 2007: EUR 35,3 million

  16. The Federal Agency for Civic Education –Recent Developments Agency offers extensive educational content on its web site, thus expanding its activities into the field of broadcasting. In cooperation with broadcaster ZDF, the Agency offers a computer game displaying political careers.  Overlapping with educational mandate of public broadcasters?

  17. Current Challenges for “the Media”

  18. Current Challenges Dominance of the “Laws of Economy” weakening the role of media in civic education with all types of media. Continuing convergence in the media sector blurs remits of institutions. Trend from “display media” to “research media” accelerates the fragmentation of audiences and threatens the public sphere? Changing role of journalism connected with both risks and opportunities.

  19. Online Social Networks “A social network service focuses on building online communities of people who share interests and/or activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others. Most social network services are web based and provide a variety of ways for users to interact, such as e-mail and instant messaging services.” [Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_network_services] Access barriers are lowered for Internet users to present their interests and experiences. But: Access barriers for non-users are still comparatively high. Informing oneself on the Internet is “more active”, requires skill and endurance.Also: More prior contextual – here: civic – knowledge necessary than for explicit TV? Private, or fragmented, public spheres are being formed. Traditional gatekeepers – such as public broadcasting and esp. professional journalism – are by no means rendered obsolete; they are rather complemented by new intermediaries and alternative mechanisms.

  20. Usage of Web 2.0 Services in Germany in 2008 Usage at least “seldom”. Data in %. Base: Internet users from 14 years in Germany (2008: n=1186). ARD/ZDF Online Study 2008. [Source: http://www.ard-zdf-onlinestudie.de/index.php?id=126] ♀♂ ♂ ♀

  21. Not a Conclusion, But Some Thoughts Traditional media have still a vital role to play in civic education. Different complementary ways: • Specific explicit educational programming • Political information • Educational entertainment Demand for these programmes has to be addressed at the media companies (by mandate in case of public broadcasting, civil society groups, journalistic ethics etc.). Room for specific institutions (like Political Development Council, bpb). Enhancing active participation in citizen media (e.g., blogging).

  22. Thank you for your attention.

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