By: Safa’ Obeid
November 17, 2024
Throughout our lives, we’ve often heard that the keys to influencing a community lie in education, media, and family. There’s no doubt that people are shaped by the media they interact with, often more profoundly than by their physical environment.
What is media? Media refers to the different means of communication used to transmit information, messages, or content to a diverse and broad audience. Media channels are widely-spread and diverse. Media has evolved over the years, transitioning from traditional platforms like newspapers and television to the dynamic digital landscape of social media, blogs, and podcasts. With the advancement of technology, its influence has grown broader and perhaps more profound.
Pause and think of collocates to the word media. The list you came up with probably includes some of these media types:
- Print Media: Delivers information in a physically printed format, such as newspapers and magazines.
- Broadcast Media: Provides information through audio and visual means, such as radio and television.
- Digital Media: Refers to the online platforms used to share messages and multimedia content, such as websites, social media, blogs.
- Social Media: Interactive communication platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
- Interactive Media: This might be surprising, but guess what? The engaging platforms that allow your participation, such as online forums, gaming, and interactive websites is a media type as well that is used to shape your opinion!
- News Media: Focuses on the coverage of current events and information, through newspapers, TV news agencies, and online news outlets.
Since we are exposed to countless media messages in various forms every day, we often absorb and internalize the ideas presented to us without realizing it. This isn’t because we are naive, but because skilled communicators have strategically crafted these messages to exert influence, whether through persuasion, deception, marketing, or other calculated means. Given the great power of media, the importance of media literacy cannot be ignored. Media literacy enables us to understand and critically analyze the messages we encounter, helping us develop a unique perspective and empowering us to create our own media content.
The key to analyzing media messages is to ask yourself the following 5 Wh- questions:
Media literacy is not just a skill—it’s a mindset that empowers individuals to navigate the complexities of the digital world. Keep in mind, if a media message isn’t neutral or seems to push you to feel a certain way, take a moment to pause and think. Make sure your opinion is really your own. It’s okay to agree or disagree with what’s being said, but it’s important that your opinion is based on your own thinking, not just on the message.
Also, keep in mind that bias can still exist in messages you agree with. When you look at media, try to get a full, balanced view, rather than only focusing on what matches your views. Bias can shape your choices and actions. To avoid this, be an active media consumer and use media literacy. If it seems like something is left out, ask yourself: What perspectives might be missing here?
As educators, we play a crucial role in fostering media literacy among your students. Here are some tips to enhance your teaching approach:
- Encourage open and interactive discussions about media content.
- Incorporate real-life examples and case studies into your lessons.
- Invite media professionals or experts to share their experiences with students.
- Given the dynamic nature of media, stay updated on the latest trends, platforms, and challenges.
- Encourage collaborative learning to boost media literacy by having students work in groups or on projects to analyze media content. This approach will allow students to explore different perspectives, practice critical thinking, and engage in activities like fact-checking, source evaluation, and recognizing bias together, creating confident, analytical and empowered media users as a result.
Resources:
Bandura, A., & Wittenberg, C. (1971). The impact of visual media on personality. The Mental Health of the Child: Program Reports of the National Institute of Mental Health, (2168), 247.