Challenges of Media "Education"

During Monday's class, we discussed the concept of media literacy. Basically, media literacy is a skill acquired by people that enables them to comprehend and analyze media, and separate different types and qualities of media from one another. We looked over a list compiled by Len Masterman of eighteen principles of media education – a term that he prefers over media literacy, for whatever reason. Unsurprisingly, his principles drive home the utter importance that he places on media education, perhaps best in his very first point – "Media education is a serious and significant endeavor. At stake is the empowerment of majorities and the strengthening of society's democratic structures."

Bold words, but he's absolutely right. A well-informed citizenry is by far the most important tool in keeping democracy alive, and since people look to their news media to gather the information they need to actively participate in the republic, media literacy is of the utmost importance. If people lack the necessary media skills that are crucial in determining what bits of the information overload that they receive every single day are the useful bits, then there's no way they'll be able to make the right decisions when they get to the voting booths. Many people are so overwhelmed by the glut of information the media throws at them that they remove themselves completely from the process, choosing to remain ignorant rather than deal with a media that they perceive as bullying or too omnipresent.

That is the great challenge that media literacy advocates will face moving into the next decade. An increase in media consumption might ironically come with a decrease in media literacy, as people become flooded with information that they don't know how to sort out. It's extremely important that we teach tactics for media literacy in our schools, and that people who grow up as a part of a generation that doesn't remember what dial-up Internet is be instructed in such a way that makes them savvy media consumers when they get older.

Our very democracy may depend upon it.