EDUCOMUNICAÇÃO

Media Literacy

Discurso de Tessa Jowell, ministra da Cultura, dos Media e do Desporto do Reino Unido,
no Seminário sobre Media Literacy, esta semana realizado (muito gostaria de ver o nosso ministro da Educação ou da Cultura a ir por este caminho):

"Because it is not good enough just to say that media literacy is about giving people the ability to access, analyse, evaluate and use the media. In my view that definition must be developed to embrace at least three separate strands:

First, that people have the means to understand the potential of all the new communication technologies that are rapidly becoming available. To have a modern population able to take advantage of modern technologies is good for individuals, good for the economy and good for our wider society.

But technology and hardware by themselves have little value. It is the content delivered that matters to people. We live in a society where large corporations, and other institutions are becoming ever more sophisticated and powerful in the way they use the media to promote their products and shape the way that people see the world. (...)

But thirdly, we recognise that people are more than consumers. They are citizens, and to be citizens they need to have an understanding of the world around them and how they engage with it. Most of the information they need to be able to act as informed citizens does actually come from the media. It therefore matters that people can get the information they need, know what degree of trust they can put in it, and how to "aim off", to take account of the inevitable bias that flows from the viewpoint and interests of the organisation or individual who is delivering the information."

Why does Media Literacy Matter?

"People do need to know what Media Literacy means in their real lives. So let me illustrate the definition with a few recent examples:

Firstly, there is the debate about obesity in young people and the impact of food advertising.

Secondly, there is the concern about paedophilia and the use of the Net for inappropriate contact with young people.

Thirdly, take the debate about Europe. Is it really possible to understand what is written about the EU without knowing about the deeply felt passions of the owners and editors?
And what about those owners and editors? There is a debate about who might buy the Telegraph titles. Is that a private debate amongst big companies who might be interested in buying, or is there a legitimate public debate, which should be properly informed by an understanding of both plurality and diversity?"

(O discurso completo: AQUI)