One's language is learned at a very early age. To communicate with family, friends and community folk, a person needs to master both the oral and written grammar of that language. This concept is traditional literacy, which is the entry point to success in school, in work and in life.
But is there another literacy to master? Since Gutenberg's mass production of printed material began, the rise of messages within a medium perplexed the public. What did the author mean by this word or this sentence? Questions such as this one abounded for readers and eventually for audiences. Today, many people get their information via complex combinations of text, images and sound. To make sense of this vast media environment, we need to master new essential literacy skills. These skills, called MEDIA LITERACY, are based on the ability to access, analyse, evaluate and create media messages.
I think media literacy is relatively nonexistent in today's society - people in this day and age look at FOX NEWs - National Geographic - TV Guide - LA Dodgers and NY Knicks as differing independent organizations, when in reality News Corp either owns or owns most of each of these. I think that the US should do as Canada has been and offer media literacy classes at the high school level - I see that being more relevant than some of the subjects taught in schools today. People should be aware of who owns what and that there are 10 major media conglomerates that own a great percentage of the worlds mass media. That company A, B and C are actually ABC under D.
ReplyDeleteJust because of my personal bias, I'll throw this out there, but I think the printing press was the single most important invention of all time...think about it and see if you agree
ReplyDeleteGreat points on media literacy and the printing press. As we talked about today in class, it is increasing important to be a media person. While one can avoid the deep thinking aspects at times, the point cannot be overestimated that those who are media literate, just like textual or orally literate, can have a major influence in determining the path of the individual and society.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, the printing press freed us from an elitist control of media and literacy. Therefore, We do not have democracy, free press, mass media or the iPhone without the printing press.
U.S. First Amendment and its relationship to new communication technologies?
ReplyDeleteIn My Opinion:
First Amendment’s seemingly simple command that “Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or the press.” This in which becomes exceedingly complex in its application to electronic media. Not only must the practitioner or scholar address the question of what types of expression are constitutionally protected, they also must determine whether the speech at issue receives the same immunity on the particular medium which it is conveyed.
-Olivier