In the late 1900s and early 2000s, few people had ever heard the term “media literacy.” Over the years, different groups worked to teach about it — and its importance. In 2015, an called the National Association of Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) created the first-ever Media Literacy Week in the United States. That means the annual event in 2024 — which takes place from October 21–25 — marks the 10th Media Literacy Week!
Before you can be media literate, you need to know what media means. Media is all the different ways we share information, such as stories or ideas. It includes newspapers, magazines, video games, books, TV shows, web sites, social media, radio, and movies. Together, they use a combination of text, pictures, and sounds to send a message. Media helps people communicate and learn about what’s happening in the world — or just have fun. In fact, the News-O-Matic article you’re reading right now is a type of media too!
So, what is “media literacy” then? NAMLE defines media literacy as “the ability to access, analyze, , create, and act using all forms of communication.”
Media may teach you all about your world, but there is a lot of information out there. So, it’s important to know how to make sense of it all. “Just like you need to learn to read and write, you need to learn how to understand and create media,” said NAMLE Executive Director Michelle Ciulla Lipkin. “As your world becomes more and more filled with technology, be smart about the questions you ask and the choices you make.” Ciulla Lipkin shared five tips with News-O-Matic so you too can be a media-literate master.
1. Be Critical
Just because you read or hear something, that doesn’t mean it’s true. Find out exactly where the facts come from. “Do your own research,” suggested Ciulla Lipkin. For example, you can tap the “Sources” button in a News-O-Matic article to see a list of citations that show where the author got the information for the story.
2. Don’t Share Too Much!
Whatever you post to the internet can be there forever. “Think before you share something on social media,” suggested Ciulla Lipkin. Never post words or images that could hurt another person. Ask yourself whether you’d be embarrassed if the whole world got to read your post, text, or tweet in the future.
3. Ask Questions
Question everything! When you read or see information from media, think to yourself: Who made this? Why did he or she make it? Can I trust it? How does it make me feel? The more questions you ask about what you see and read, the more media literate you will become.
4. Talk About It!
“Talk about what you see and read,” suggested Ciulla Lipkin. “See what others have to say about things. You may be surprised to hear different points of view about the same thing. It’s a great way to learn something new.”
5. Use Media to Create!
We live in an exciting time with technology. After all, there are so many fun types of media for us to use! “Take pictures,” suggested Ciulla Lipkin. “Make movies or design games. Take advantage of the wonderful ways technology is creative.”
Ciulla Lipkin reflected on the 10th year of Media Literacy Week in the United States. “SO much progress has been made in media literacy in the last decade,” she explained. “Ten years ago, media literacy education was only discussed at education conferences — and now it’s being talked about everywhere,” she explained. “There is incredible increase in practice across the country, 19 states have passed legislation to increase media literacy skills in schools, our community has grown to almost 9,000 people, and there are growing calls for media literacy education in schools.”
New technology tools such as A.I. have made it easier for people to create and spread . That’s why Ciulla Lipkin called it “ ” to be able to “discern quality information and make informed decisions.” She added: “Media literacy education has never been more .”
By Russell Kahn (Russ)
Updated October 18, 2024, 5:00 P.M. (ET)
