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Media and youth in Bhutan. Siok Sian Pek-Dorji Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy, 2009. Media impact study 2008 ( MoIC ). 2003 - media for news/ information 2008 - media for entertainment Most popular: Radio TV Newspapers Phone Internet. More mobiles less landlines. Mobile
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Media and youth in Bhutan Siok Sian Pek-Dorji Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy, 2009
Media impact study 2008 ( MoIC) 2003 - media for news/ information 2008 - media for entertainment Most popular: • Radio • TV • Newspapers • Phone • Internet
More mobiles less landlines Mobile 2008=250,000 users Mobile Use: • 22.8% for radio • 25% listen to music • 38% SMS • 27.5% play games Source: MIS2008
What youth read/watch/listen Do not like in media Politics Government Development –type stories Economy Like in media Sports Entertainment Robbery and sensational events Stars
Source of entertainment -16-24 yr (MIS’08) 16-24 year olds - Source: MIS2008
Children & media • Respondents – TV viewing affected children’s speech, • Children like cartoon characters • young children aping older persons in dress and movements • Lack of content for children • Children TV viewing • Affected school work • But built confidence and exposure • Families place very little limitation on TV viewing.
People’s perspectives on Children & TV • Worried about somepictures • Lack of content for children • Children growing up on TV and on adult fare • TV influenced children’s speech,behaviour • Cartoon/wrestling • TV babysitter • Worried about sexualisation of children in some local music videos • Want media to educate children and youth more
Media influence on culture media opening up society • Behaviour – People’s views - • Youth more aggressive • More open • Boy-girl friendships • Thinking and ideas – many believe TV had the most impact on mass thinking. • Helping culture evolve, therefore shaping new identity Youth culture Creating new identity •Language – dzongkha promoted Dzonglish and slang on FM radio • Dressing – looking good, being slim
New forms of media entertainment Entertainment media - new culture • Fast talking Radio Jockeys • Rigsar music • Informality • New identities • Reality Programmes - popular seen as ‘cruel’ and unfair • Games and cyberworld -youtube
Learn to consume media – not be consumed by media • Access must be fair to rural Bhutan and not be urban centric. • Content - more Bhutanese and not just imported ideas.
Foundations for media development Constitutional provisions Article 7 Section 2: A Bhutanese citizen shall have the right to freedom of speech, opinion and expression. Section 3: A citizen shall have right to information Section 5: Freedom of press for radio, TV & other forms of dissemination of information including electronic press.
People and Media in a Democracy People’s responsibility in democracy - • formal - electing representatives • informal – by keeping watch and giving feedback by learning about issues to make informed decisions by learning about issues to engage
Media are important elements in democracy • Media’s responsibility provide the essential news/information provide the ‘space’ for discussion and feedback • Also called the 4th estate after executive, legislature ( parliament) and judiciary – hold public offices accountable • “Watchdog”
Media and people • We need reliable information on which to base our decisions and judgement. • Media serve the people, people need reliable media. • Need to differentiate between news media and other types of media – entertainment, advertising etc.
What is changing in the way we get our news and information? • Now • Word of mouth • TV • Newspapers • Radio • Internet • Through SMS etc. • Magazines • Blogs • Old days • Word of mouth • Leaders e.g. gups • Parents/ • Teachers
More information than we can handle • 10,000 new websites are being created every hour Source: Columbia Journalism Review, Nov./Dec. 2008 • 210 billion e-mails are sent every day • In 2006, the world produced the equivalent of three million times the information contained in all the books ever written
Thinking skills Media literacy education helps individuals of all ages develop thehabits of inquiry and skills of expression that they need to be critical thinkers, effective communicators and active citizens in today’s world. • It is not enough to know how to press buttons on technology – thinking is more important
What is Media literacy? • Media Literacy is the ability to use critical thinking skills to judge the reliability and credibility of news reports, and media messages whether they come via print, television, radio or the Internet
Media literacy focuses on news, advertising and how media messages are created.-Access -Analyse-Evaluate-CommunicateMessages
5 core questions – from Centre for ML • Who created this message? • What creative techniques are used to attract my attention? • How might different people understand this message differently? • What values, lifestyles/ points of view are represented in, or omitted from, this message? • Why is this message being sent?
Media literacy promotes intelligent media use • BCMD media literacy activities- emphasise the importance of media in a democracy and how we can engage in media more effectively. • Watch carefully • Write responsibly • Think critically • ML raises questions about the impact of media and technology
Why Bhutan needs media literacy • Limited discussion in schools • Newspaper reading not a habit esp among youth • from oral to visual society, bypassing reading phase • People moving from news to entertainment • Limited attempt to educate public in media • People weaned themselves on media ( provided as a service) • Rural communities rarely question media
Why Bhutan needs media literacy • TV overtaking daily lives. • Need to have better filters with which to use, read, watch media • Need to learn to speak up and be accountable •Need to encourage active, healthy engagement in media • More media choices than ever • Need to learn to cope with this deluge of info • In a media saturated environment, people’s ability to assess the value of news is an essential skill
Why ML? Benefits • ML – leads to civic engagement. • Provides “lifelong empowerment of the learner and citizen.” • Empowers youth to engage in a global world with understanding and responsibility. How to use media “critically” Provides youth with tools to understand the role of informa-tion in media saturated world.
Critical thinking • "Today's definition of literacy is more than reading and writing. In order to be functionally literate in our media-saturated world, children and young people—in fact, all of us—have to be able to read the messages that daily inform us, entertain us and sell to us. As the Internet becomes a fact of life, the critical thinking skills that help young people navigate through traditional media are even more important." (Jane Tallim, Center for Media Literacy, US)
GNH & media • Media are businesses • ML and critical thinking are essential in 21st century learning and can help promote understanding of GNH • Media challenges GNH • Media today promotes a largely material (GDP) world • Global advertising a major challenge to children • Media more entertainment oriented
Media literacy’s many benefits • Prepares youth for responsibilities as citizens Gives people the tools to be active citizens • Creates a participatory culture • Promotes critical thinking skills • Peer-to-peer learning • Learning to learn vs rote learning
Make our learning environment more ML • Encourage peer review, feedback from students and parents. • Link community develop-ments, public affairs& school • empower youth to understand, evaluate&analyse local situations through critical thinking and examining media reports. • Participatory • Teachers must under-stand C. Thinking and M. Literacy. • Include media in daily lessons across the curriculum • Encourage youth to learn about media, to speak up and to share their messages
What can we do about media in schools? • Deconstruct media and advertisements • Discuss the difference between news media and entertainment media • Use media to discuss current issues • Promote media literacy • use media in class… • Encourage students to read newspapers • To read books • To listen to radio • Provide guidance on TV viewing