Media Literacy Matters
Fiona Lennox
Online Information – December 2008

Media Literacy @ Ofcom
Media literacy is the ability to access, understand and create communications
in a variety of contexts.
Use, volume of use and breadth of use of
Access
different platforms
Understand Understand and evaluate content
Create Create content and interact with media
devices or with other users
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What is media literacy?
Media literacy is a collection of skills, knowledge and
understanding of the media and communications
technology which equip people to benefit from the new digital
communications technology and the content and services
they offer.
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Information Literacy
“Information literacy is knowing when and why you need
information, where to find it and how to evaluate, use and
communicate it in an ethical manner.”
Cilip definition of Information Literacy
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What does media literacy mean in practice?
Purpose Definition Competency
Use Use technology
To enable…
Access Navigate
Use EPG and browser
Active Manage
Citizens Access, store, retrieve
content and services
Search effectively and
safely
Informed Customise application
Consumers
Use firewalls and filters
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What does media literacy mean in practice?
Purpose Definition Competency
Use
To enable…
Access Navigate
Recognise editorial
Active Manage
Citizens Recognise advertising
& sponsorship
Read
Understand media
Understand Deconstruct context
Evaluate Recognise motivations
Informed
Consumers
Critique - have a view
on quality of material
Make informed choices
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What does media literacy mean in practice?
Purpose Definition Competency
Use
To enable…
Access Navigate
Active Manage
Transact online
Citizens
Read Post online
Deconstruct Communicate ideas,
Understand information and
Evaluate
opinions
Informed Contribute to
Consumers democratic debate
Produce using electronic
media
Create Distribute Use media
responsibly
Publish
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Adult Media Literacy Audit

Ownership of key media
UK England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland
100%
88% 89%
86% 86% 86% 85% 86% 86% 85%
83% 82% 83% 82% 81%
78%
80%
62% 63% 62%
60%
51% 53%
40%
20%
0%
Digital radio Mobile phone Digital TV Internet
T1/ R1/ IN1/ M1 – Can any of your TV sets receive additional channels other than BBC, ITV, Channel 4/ S4C and (where available) Channel 5?/ In which of these
ways do you ever listen to radio in your home?/ Does anyone in your household have access to the internet at home through a computer or laptop?
Base: All adults aged 16+ (2905 in UK, 1647 in England, 409 in Scotland, 432 in Wales, 417 in Northern Ireland)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in October to December 2007
1 Digital radio refers to access to digital radio stations through the internet, digital television and DAB radio
sets
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Growth in take-up by platform, 2005 and 2007,
by age and socio-economic group
Digital television Internet Mobile phone
64% 54% 82%
Total 62%
82% 85%
80% 74% 97%
16-19 82%
88% 99%
58% 49% 93%
20-24 64%
87% 96%
68% 64% 96%
Age 25-34 70%
90% 96%
69% 68% 94%
35-44 79%
90% 96%
66% 53% 88%
45-54 72%
83% 93%
60% 42% 73%
55-64 53%
79% 82%
56% 32% 59%
65-74 2005
69% 35% 56%
2007
36% 10% 34%
75+ 10%
58% 42%
71% 79% 87%
AB 82%
89% 90%
63% 62% 86%
C1 72%
85% 90%
Socio-economic
group 65% 53% 83%
C2 57%
85% 86%
52% 26% 74%
DE 35%
72% 76%
T1/TN1/M1 – Various
Base: All adults 16+ (2905)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in October to December 2007
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Breadth of use of the internet
Mean number of
types of use 2.6 2.6 2.5 2.7 2.4 Public/ civic
Leisure information
11% 19% Entertainment
11%
14% 14% 9% 16%
14% 9%
22% 22% 23% 19%
23%
22% 22% 20% Creativity
24% 24%
24% 20%
24% 26%
21%
23%
News
41% 42% 38%
38%
38%
48% 48% 47% 47% Transactions
43%
Work/ studies information
76% 77% 74% 75% 70%
Communication
UK England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland
IN13/14 – Can you please tell me from this list the types of things you currently do using the internet, and how often you do each?
Base: All adults aged 16+ who use the internet at home or elsewhere (1723 in UK, 1034 in England, 207 in Scotland, 235 in Wales, 247 in Northern Ireland)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in October to December 2007
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Breadth of use of the internet among UK adults
from ethnic minority groups
Use of the internet
Public/ civic
Leisure information
11%
14% 10%
13% 9%
News 24%
23% 12%
22% 21% 10%
Entertainment 23%
21% 13%
22% 10%
24% 25% 11%
21%
Creativity 41%
17%
26% 23%
29% 24%
22%
Transactions 19%
48% 55%
46%
42%
Work/ studies information 39%
Communication 76% 76% 74% 67% 60%
UK Indian Pakistani Black Caribbean Black African
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville-Rossiter Base in October to December 2007
Base: All adults using internet at home or elsewhere. UK adults 1723, Indian 240, Pakistani 199, Black Caribbean 216,
Black African 218
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Age profile of adults who have set up a profile on
a social networking site
100%
80%
63%
60%
46%
40%
28%
22%
20% 12%
7% 8%
3%
0%
Total 16-19 20-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
IN28A – I’d like to read out a number of things people might do using the types of technologies we’ve been talking about. For each one, could you please tell me if you’ve done it, or
you’d be interested in doing it, or you’re not interested in doing it?
Base: All who use the internet at home or elsewhere (1723)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in October to December 2007
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Agreement about the main role of media
platforms
Entertain Inform and educate Agree with both roles
100%
82% 82%
79%
80% 77% 77%
70%
63%
60% 55%
52%
46%
40%
20%
0%
Television Radio Internet Gaming
T17/R12/IN48/G7 – Could you please use the options on this card to tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree with some things that other people have said
about [the platform]?
Base: All adults aged 16+ (2905)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in October to December 2007
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Level of agreement: I have personally learned
useful things
Strongly agree Slightly agree Neither/ nor Slightly disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know
Television 37% 47% 9% 6% 4% 2%
Internet 43% 45% 6% 7% 4% 3%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
T17/IN49B – Could you please use the options on this card to tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree with some things that other people have said about
the watching television / internet
Base: Adults aged 16+ (n=2905)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in October-December 2007
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Confidence using the internet
Very confident Fairly confident Neither/ nor Not very confident Not at all confident Don’t know
That you can find the content or
information you want when you go 58% 33% 4% 4%1%
online
Using the creative elements that
media such as internet and 37% 29% 9% 14% 11% 1%
mobile phones offer
Being able to tell if a website you 20% 39% 18% 13% 7% 4%
use is truthful and reliable
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
IN9/10/11 – How confident are you…
Base: Adults aged 16+ who use the internet at home or elsewhere (n=1723)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in October-December 2007
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Confidence using the internet among UK
adults from ethnic minority groups
Confidence in finding content online
Confident Neither Don't know Not confident
UK 91% 4% 5%
Indian 75% 15% 10%
Pakistani 69% 19% 1% 11%
Black Caribbean 75% 15% 1% 9%
Black African 83% 10% 1% 6%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville-Rossiter Base in October to December 2007
Base: All adults using internet at home or elsewhere. UK adults 1723, Indian 240, Pakistani 199, Black Caribbean 216,
Black African 218
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Interest and confidence in using internet
functions
Interested, can't do w ith confidence Can do w ith confidence Not interested
Install security features like a firew all, anti-
25% 57% 18%
spy or antivirus softw are
Install softw are on a computer w hich can
25% 52% 23%
control or block access to certain w ebsites
Transfer photos from a digital camera or
18% 67% 15%
mobile phone to a computer
Use e-mail to contact friends and relatives 10% 82% 8%
Buy things over the internet 10% 72% 18%
Find out about local services including the
10% 67% 22%
council, hospital, leisure facilties and so on
Do my banking over the internet 9% 51% 40%
Join in debates about subjects that interest
8% 26% 66%
me through posting comments on w ebsites
Listen to radio over a computer 6% 38% 54%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
IN7A-I – Please look at the options shown on this card. I’m going to read out some different types of tasks associated with the internet, PCs or laptops, and for each
one I’d like you to say which of the options on the card applies to you.
Base: Adults aged 16+ who use the internet at home or elsewhere (1723)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in October to December 2007
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Trust in platform: when I watch/listen [platform] I
tend to trust what I see/hear
Agree Neutral/ Don't know Disagree
Television 41% 28% 31%
Radio 61% 25% 14%
Internet 42% 31% 27%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
T17D/R12D/IN49A/ – ‘When I watch TV/radio/internet I tend to trust what I see’
Base: All adults aged 16+ who have a TV (2887), have a radio (2043), access the internet anywhere (1723)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in October to December 2007
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Checks made when visiting new websites
• 78% of users say they make at least one check
• 49% check how up-to-date the site is
• 41% assess the overall look and feel of the website
• 31% ask someone else if they’ve visited the site
• 28% look at information across other sites
• 16% check who has created the page and why
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Children’s Media Literacy Audit

Internet penetration differs significantly by
socio-economic group
ABC1 C2DE
100% 100%
100% 91% 89%
87% 86% 86% 87% 86%
80%
63%
60%
40%
20%
0%
TV Radio Games console Internet Mobile phone
Base: Parents of children aged 8-15 (1221 ABC1,1440 C2DE, 2194 Urban, 516 Rural ) 2007
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Use of key media by children from age 5 to age 15
100%
TV
80%
Games console
60%
Mobile phone
40%
Radio
20%
PC/ laptop with internet
0%
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Child’s age in years
QP3A-M – I’m going to read out a list of different types of equipment that you may or may not have in your home, and which your child may or may not use
Base: Parents of children aged 8-15 (336 aged 5, 315 aged 6, 334 aged 7, 400 aged 8, 306 aged 9, 314 aged 10, 334 aged 11, 418 aged 12, 313 aged 13, 286
aged 14, 340 aged 15)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to September 2007
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Children’s confidence using the internet
Strongly agree Slightly agree Neither agree nor disagree/DK Disagree
UK 63% 31% 3% 3%
England 62% 32% 3% 3%
I’m confident about Scotland 74% 24% 2%
using the Internet
Wales 66% 27% 7%
Northern Ireland 60% 32% 5% 3%
UK 35% 40% 8% 16%
I can always find what England 34% 41% 7% 17%
I’m looking for on the
Internet
Scotland 45% 36% 8% 11%
Wales 48% 36% 9% 8%
Northern Ireland 27% 33% 19% 22%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
QC21A/C – Using this card, choose an answer to show how much you agree or disagree with some things other people have said about the internet
Base: Children aged 12-15 who use the internet at home (734 UK, 421 England, 96 Scotland, 97 Wales, 120 Northern Ireland)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in October-December 2007
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Children’s trust in types of television content
Always believe Believe mostly Neither believe nor don't believe
Do not believe very much Do not believe at all Don't know
Aged 8-11 (n=776) 38% 41% 10% 4% 6%
News programmes
like the 6 o’clock
news or Newsround Aged 12-15 (n=829) 34% 49% 9% 4%2%
Nature and Wildlife Aged 8-11 (n=863) 41% 44% 6% 4% 3%
programmes like
Planet Earth and
Springwatch
Aged 12-15 (n=799) 41% 44% 8% 5%1%
Reality TV Aged 8-11 (n=688) 18% 27% 23% 17% 6% 9%
programmes that show
real people like Big
Brother or Wife Swap Aged 12-15 (n=834) 12% 30% 17% 27% 11% 3%
Source: Ofcom research. Children aged 8 – 15 who watch these programmes, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base October – December 2007.
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Lessons at school about television/ the internet
UK England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland
100%
80% 74% 75%
70%
66%
59%
60%
40% 31%
27% 27% 26%
17%
20%
0%
Lessons about TV Lessons about the internet
QC42/43 – Do any of your lessons at school teach you about TV / about the Internet?
Base: Children aged 8-15 (2711 UK, 1718 England, 350 Scotland, 360 Wales, 282 Northern Ireland)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to September 2007
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How we ‘do’ media literacy
• Our role is to provide leadership and leverage
• Providing a robust research evidence base
• Achieving our objectives through partnerships
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Thank you
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